Hidden Scars Poem by ivor or ivor.e hogg

To most of you who have not killed
and suffer not from dreaming filled
with flash backs known to fighting men.
Who must relive the moments when
they had no choice, they had to kill
or be killed. Which haunt them still.
It may be they disturb your dreams
with grunts and groans and muffled screams.

Be patient try to understand
these dreams they cannot countermand
are far too vivid to ignore.
So comfort them try to restore
their sense of being here and now
until their racing heart beats slow.

They say in time these flash backs fade
but until then the ghosts parade.
Across the minds of sleeping men
and drag them back from now to then.
Survivors sometimes suffer more
than those who died whilst waging war.
The guilt they feel is all too real.
Wounded minds are slow to heal.

17-Mar-08