All that glitters is not gold

Just like enemy tracer rounds

They can hypnotise you as they fly

Seeming to have no sound

Ours are green there’s are yellow

They bounce of rocks and disappear

Writing their name in the black sky

They can fill a soldier with fear

Your shoulder ache as you blast away

Flashes illuminating your mates

Sustained fire to the enemy front

Sending your foe to their fate

Back home in Blighty on Bonfire night

Sends you back thirty years to that hill

Where all that glittered was not gold

Not then for fun more to kill.

© Tony McNally

Emerald Isle.

Over the emerald sea we went

To make it a better place

Patrolling the streets

We could feel the hate

Anger in every face

The petrol bombs, burning cars

Shouts of “Contact wait out,”

Drop down to ground

Firing position

This is a War, no doubt

Get up move quick hard target

Smoke is stinging my eyes

Then the mob is gone

An eerie silence

Our helicopter hovering in the sky

A huge explosion

The day goes black

Ears ringing I can hardly breathe

Sirens wail women scream

My brain finds it hard to conceive

Still alive, grab hold of my weapon

Look around to look for my mates

Civilian bodies scattered on the ground

Like children’s dolls

Was this always to be their fate?

Brain re-engages

Still scanning the rooftops

Brick commander screams, “ Follow me.”

Hard target back to the Saracen 

Please save me Lord is my silent plea

I was saved that day now its thirty years on

Only veterans those events I do talk

Was eighteen when I crossed the Emerald Isle

To my brothers I would say

It was only with you that I could walk that walk.

© Tony McNally

I  was a young warrior

A bullet proof  youth

This was my time

I  could not loose

As the first ships sank

I  held my breath

Now I  knew

It could end in death

As a 19 year old

 I wrote my will

Should the enemy

Me they kill

Looking around at all my mates

Our carefree journey

Soon turned to hate

When our officers told us

The Sheffield was lost

I wanted revenge

The die had been cast

On D Day we turned

From boys to men

Our lives would never 

Be the same again

My young eyes

Saw the dead and dying

Burnt limbless guardsman

But not one was crying 

I took a life

But saved a few

I was a soldier

Its what we do

To those we left

In the cold frozen ground

We Will Remember You

As we drink our first round

I was a young warrior

A bullet proof youth

As for War

I now know the awful truth.

© Tony McNally

Hello son,

You've lived for those days.

Comforted-

You've lift the sun rays-

Trickled down the face-

Of the wealthy man.

What love entails-

Forgotten in time.

Forbidden, through-

The faded lust in your eyes.

Red, white and blue-

Seem so dull these days.

Grated by the lies that they tell-

Molded by political hell.

Send shivers and twist these spines-

Pride and courage bleed out those minds.

Amazing,

How they're made to feel grand-

Stars burst into dust and fade in the sands.

Held your weight to the floor.

Creating light out of noise-

Hoping everyone praises you-

Popular stand.

Close your eyes and begin.

As this life will soon spin-

Don't let anyone tame you.

National treasure

The house is strangely quiet,

She's not here anymore,

She's gone to serve her country,

The girl that I adore.....

I miss her very much,

I cried the whole way home,

It's really hard to leave them,

If only I had known....

But no matter what you think,

You can't imagine or know,

The way that your heart will feel,

Until the day they go.....

I stand in awe and wonder,

At all the people that serve,

Their courage and their wisdom,

And how they have the nerve....

May the Lord God keep them close,

And protect their every way,

And guide them safely back to us,

To serve another day....

Please hold my child close dear God,

And let her come to thee,

And when she is done serving her country,

Please send her back to me..... AMEN

"We soldiers stand together, we never stand alone

 we fight and defend our freedom, though we might not come home

 freedom is never free, and this we can prove

 we fight for our country, we fight for all of you.

 We all learn a different MOS, but this I can confess

 when our country calls, we are all put to the test.

 With weapon in hand, we shoot strait and zeroed

 we fight 'till we have won, each soldier their family's hero.

 A father a mother a sister a brother,

 a son or a daughter, we still have each other.

 Banded together lead by leaders and values

 our day to come home is a day we count to.

 No matter in life or death we know we're in your thoughts

 but for now remember are battles, the wars we have faught.

 We fight for freedom, we fight for you

 we are soldiers, and this is what we do." - PV2 Jernigan

My name is Bullet, aka Slug, aka Hollow Point.
I can pierce armor. You can't stop me from reaching my point.
Once I connect with my brother handgun or assault rifle, there is no need running for we're trained snipers.
We weren't created for protection, only for mere power.
We've made cold blooded killers out of cowards, so now the world has turned against me like I'm the bad guy. That is why I dont discriminate when i fly.
I fly,
I fly in Iraq through the head of a U.S. soldier who doesn't know what he's really fighting for.
I fly through the chest of a corrupted cop whose vest couldn't force me to stop.
I fly through the neck of a Black leader on the rise. There's rumors that the government sent me to make sure he dies.
Now that I've poured my heart out to you' I hope you realize why I do what I do.
You know who the bad guy is, it couldn't be any clearer.
Just take a quick glimpse in the mirror.
Whether Black or Chrome, me and gun will turn your house into an unhappy home.
Many fear us, but I don't know why.
Remember you'll pull gun's trigger, and I just fly.