Originally published on Ready Up on 4th April 2012.
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I venture alone in the vast devastation,
the remnants of what was once a great nation.
A prosperous land that has since been left hollow
where the wretched remains of the past now wallow.
It’s warm midday as the harsh sun beats down,
charring the skin on my uncovered crown.
Inside of my armour, all dusty and brown,
the sweat starts to pool and I feel I could drown.
Amidst this discomfort, I remain calm,
even as my gun starts to slip from my palm.
These are conditions to which you never acclimatise
from the day of your birth to that of your demise.
Michael Slevin 