Awakening

I did my bit f’ today - ate an ANZAC biscuit 

and repeated th’ phrase lest we forget; it’s 

a ritual that goes way, way back - and, 

though I wasn’t at a formal dawn parade, I 

saw th’ sun rise; its ritual still, of just about 

every day since th’ mid-sixties, back when  

following th’ end o’ our military training with

awakening geared by habit an-hour-before-

sun-up, something I’d never really thought 

that about much; anyway all the troops did 

it - reflexively - unless they’d come off of a 

midnight watch - 

and then we’d glory in the new morn, hope 

for events less any tragedies, prepping our 

gear - making ready; however, while all the 

possibilities were beyond our ken, usually

th’ operations explained themselves & we 

simply did what we were trained to do - & 

hoping to survive another day; then tour’s 

end & we’re freed monotony - maybe, but 

never those rituals thus deeply engrained

things’ve changed a wee bit since then - if 

my comrades and friends remind me I can 

express th’ same operant feelings; 

but one thing is for sure - I don’t ever need 

t’ be awakened by anybody just to see the 

sun rise again… 

© 25 April 2018, I. D. Carswell