The Frightened Child
The first day at school
On that bright summer day
The English accent
Searching the satchel
The smell of its newness
Lingering in the air
1976 a time of death and destruction
10 Men slain on a bus in a moment
Gunned down in an instant
Stories of Butchers overheard
My own boogiemen
The soldier his aggression
Etched on his face
Apparent in his voice
His uniform alien to me
The SLR intimidating
Dark and fearful
The barrel long and black
Death lurked within its chambers.
The little heart raced
Watching his big strong father
The IRA man
A hero for a community
I didn’t really know him
This man before me
