Life

 by Neville Johnson                                           

The life we take for granted

So many things we take for granted

Sitting here reminiscing

Contemplating my life

Thinking and daydreaming

Thoughts about returning home

Lost track of the days

Days with no names attached

The unforgiving Helmand heat

Sweat exuding through my pores

I can hear the Sangin sound

Talking to me, filling my mind

These quiet moments breaking me

The feeling difficult to describe

Feeling tense feeling tight

Unable to relax

God I hate this feeling in me

These quiet moments breaking me

Breaking me bit by bit

Waiting for something to happen

Reminiscing contemplating

Daydreaming and thinking

These quiet moments

Consuming me more and more.

________________________

Neville was born and raised in South Africa, in June 2000, at the age of 23 he left his home country to live and work in the United Kingdom.

At the age of 26, Neville joined the British Army and became an infantry soldier. He served seven years in the British Army and during that time deployed on active duty to Northern Ireland, Iraq, and Afghanistan as part of an infantry reconnaissance platoon.

After his time serving Queen and Country, he worked as a private security contractor in Iraq, on numerous Unites States government contracts.

Neville is currently living in New Zealand with his wife and three young kids. He’s now working for a private organization running a military-focused Services Academy and a Business Management program for students in a local High School that provides young people with skills sets, knowledge, and values to become leaders in their communities for a better way of life.

During quiet times, he focuses on writing, specifically poetry. Some of his poetry has been published in three books alongside the work of other veteran writers, “Sweeping Leaves in the Wind”, “Alone in a Crowded Room” and “War… & After the anthology of poet warriors.”