Johnny Everyman [2] Poem by Gert Strydom

In George uncle P.W. Botha are staying in his house
and at seventeen Johnny is too young to get a car
when his call up instructions indicates Johnny to a camp

and life is really terrible,
Johnny is taught about his holy rifle
and he notices how people really loose their heads

and in Johnny’s life nothing happens by accident
and he is old enough to ride a troop train.
In George uncle P.W. Botha are staying in his house

and however Johnny tries
time ticks off too slowly,
Johnny is taught about his holy rifle

must cross the camp from side to side
and if he doesn’t want to he has to serve a jail sentence of three years.
When his call up instructions indicate Johnny to a camp

Johnny has to face Ovambo’s, Cubans and Russians,
he is far away from his home and his people
time ticks off too slowly,

and are delivered to enemy soldiers, vicious animals and every kind of tick
while uncle Botha and his cabinet are free to make a living.
In George uncle P.W. Botha are staying in his house,

a new jet is bought for him
and Johnny and everybody with him is bomb happy
he is far away from his home and his people

out of the veins of some comrades there are blood foaming red
and of enemy rifle shots nobody is free.
When his call up instructions indicate Johnny to a camp

lies are being told to most of the country,
the army is nice and madder than nuts
and Johnny and everybody with him is bomb happy

constantly in the field and out of doors
and only a number without any respect
In George uncle P.W. Botha are staying in his house
when his call up instructions indicate Johnny to a camp,

enemy shots resounds right around him
and life is really terrible,
the army is nice and madder than nuts
and he notices how people really loose their heads.