Stranger to Myself

by Neville Johnson

What have I become

A stranger too many

A stranger to myself

Looking in the mirror

I see him staring at me

I can’t find me in there

I don’t recognize him

How long have you been here?

Completely unknown to myself

Engulfed in numbness to all

Who is this old man I see?

Grey hair wrinkled face

I see the rage in his eyes

Anger in his soul

Do I know you?

Looking through me

Starring at nothing

Who have I become

What have I become?

A stranger to all

____________________________

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.”