A Door to Freedom

A man of great honour and valour,

He had served his country with pride,

And with bravery he had fought the fire,

But the war had twisted his mind and soul,

Leaving him adrift in a world of endless twilight.

He was haunted by visions of battlefields drenched in blood,

Of comrades lost and battles won and lost,

The memories played on repeat in his head,

An endless loop of death and destruction.

He tried to outrun the ghosts of his past,

But they followed him everywhere he went,

Whispering in his ear, taunting and jeering,

Dragging him down into a pit of despair.

So he turned to the bottle,

Drinking to forget and numb the pain,

But the alcohol only brought temporary respite,

Leaving him with a hangover of guilt and shame.

He hit rock bottom,

Feeling alone and forsaken,

But then something inside him stirred,

A spark of hope that refused to be shaken.

He sought help and found support,

In a community of fellow veterans who understood,

He learned to cope with his PTSD,

And found the strength to rise above.

Now he stands tall and proud,

A survivor of war and inner turmoil,

He honours his past and his service,

But looks towards a bright future, and toil.