Distance

Unidentified remains of a human corpse
Lay rotting upon the sitting room floor
Heroic failure to an unknown cause
The squaddy laughs with nervous tension
The gun in his hand still warm from use
A nagging in his brain “Why did I do it?”
Alone in the house he puts the gun to his head
A distant scream
Neat and tidy, the housework must be done
Normality concludes, nothing out of place
Darkness all around; bricked up windows
A candle glow illuminates the room
A single flame in the blind room
But the candle slowly burns itself out
Waxwork dummies sit and view the tv screen
A distant scream still echoes from outside

I want to be on my own, away from you
You want to be on your own, away from me
It’s so hard to open my heart to you
I tried to but this world forbade me
I dreamt a nightmare of togetherness
When the walls came tumbling down
I awoke, relieved, the house still intact
A distant scream, the world carries on

Shut behind closed doors; the outside is hostile
I heard a laugh, or a cry of pain
At night I toss and turn
Outside, a snivelling wretch calls for his mother
Draw the curtains over the brickwork
Make sure my cell is locked tight
A slit of light, blocked it out
Hide from the light
At the end of the street, locked out of sight
In the darkest living room; a crimson shade
The candle burnt out so very long ago
Unknown to the bricked up silent millions
Unidentified remains of a human corpse
Lay rotting upon the sitting room floor
Heroic failure to an unknown cause,
AND NOBODY CARED