Poets Corner Archives - CONTACT magazine

An Adrenaline Rush

08/05/202208/05/2022 Mick Shave 327 Views 0 Comments By Michael Shave

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT When hit by a high velocity bullet, The skull explodes and its contents spray Through shattered

Soldiers from Mentoring Task Force – Three (MTF-3) move away from a helicopter landing zone, after loading Australian casualties wounded by an improvised explosive device on a Bushmaster, in the Chora Valley, southern Afghanistan. Photo by Able Seaman Jo Dilorenzo.

Poets Corner

There’s them, There’s us

24/04/202224/04/2022 Mick Shave 563 Views 0 Comments By Michael Shave

Stand at ease; Attention; Move to the right in threes. Orders, orders, orders, Some of which were these. But really

Faces of Australian war veterans projected on a facade in Martin Place, Sydney, during an Anzac Day dawn service. Photo by Able Seaman Bonnie Gassner.

Poets Corner

The ghosts of the honored dead

24/04/202224/04/2022 Anndrà an Ruadh 497 Views 0 Comments By Anndrà an Ruadh

I was out protesting the war just the other day, when the ghost of a soldier came up to me.

Australian soldiers from the Special Operations Task Group and Reconstruction Task Force farewell fallen comrade Private Luke Worsley during a ramp ceremony at their base in Uruzgan Province, southern Afghanistan on 27 November 2007. Photo by Captain Al Green.

Poets Corner

FOR LUKE

23/04/202224/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 353 Views 0 Comments By Tomas 'Paddy' Hamilton

There’s a soldier’s memorial at the end of our street, from a war they claim we lost For 41 Australian

Photo by Warrant Officer Class Two Gary Ramage.

Poets Corner

THE ANZACS ARE WATCHING

16/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 332 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

Amid constant gloom and distant frowns Increasing debt, and heads drooping down Comes a time when a youngster will ask

Minister for Defence Peter Dutton sits inside a Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle with Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko, talk to Commander of 1st Division Major General Scott Winter at RAAF Base Amberley, just before the protected mobility vehicle was flown to Ukraine to assist in their war effort against Russia. Photo by Kym Smith.

Poets Corner

You Bastard

10/04/202210/04/2022 Mick Shave 433 Views 0 Comments By Michael Shave

You bastard Putin, what’s it for? Sending people off to war What reason gave you any right To send your

My new Veteran's Lapel Pin, box-mounted in the shirt pocket. Photo by self.

Poets Corner

THE MASK

09/04/202209/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 351 Views 0 Comments By Tomas 'Paddy' Hamilton

. PEOPLE RARELY SEE MY FACE. IT HIDES BEHIND A MASK TO FREE ME FROM ITS VACANT STARE, IS NOT

Australian Army soldiers from the 5th Engineer Regiment use earth-moving equipment to clear debris from a flood-affected house in Lismore, New South Wales, during Operation Flood Assist 2022. Photo by Corporal Jonathan Goedhart.

Poets Corner

Tomorrow we will

21/03/202221/03/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 429 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

Faith, Hope, Unity and Purpose are Powerful National Weapons When you hear Mother Nature is about to tear us apart

Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, led by a Japanese officer, walks under a flag of truce to negotiate the capitulation of Allied forces in Singapore, on 15 February 1942. It was the largest surrender of British-led forces in history.

Poets Corner

SUNSET ON AN EMPIRE

21/03/202221/03/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 406 Views 0 Comments By Tomas 'Paddy' Hamilton

. Everything was surreal, the calm before the storm With G&T at Raffles and playing bridge till dawn They swept

Royal Australian Air Force personnel from No. 22 Squadron load pallets of military assistance bound for Ukraine onto a C-17A Globemaster III at RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales. Photo by Corporal Kylie Gibson.

Poets Corner

Just Infantry

13/03/2022 Mick Shave 399 Views 0 Comments By Michael Shave

Just Infantry The Russians in Ukraine I feel for those Infantrymen Without the knowledge Of fire-and-movement; Who have been conscripted

An M113AS4 at Shoalwater Bay. Photo by Leading Seaman Andrew Dakin.

Poets Corner

I’m a Zulu!

24/02/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 414 Views 0 Comments By Spent Cartridge

A warrior you are; and, first into the fight As from behind where you sit there wields a great might

Poets Corner

The Reason Why

15/02/2022 Mick Shave 460 Views 0 Comments By Michael Shave

After A Day at War (South Vietnam, 1969) In the gloom of each day when it’s dying Standing to is

Poets Corner

Fred

14/02/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 452 Views 1 Comment By Spent Cartridge

How you helped us all out many times in any given day With only three primary uses designed that way

An M113AS4 on the prowl in the Australian bush.

Poets Corner

Break Hide!

12/02/202212/02/2022 Spent Cartridge 370 Views 0 Comments By Spent Cartridge

Shots ring out disturbing the night You sit upright all composed without signs of fright Trying to get into that

Commanding Officer of 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel John Eccleston gives instructions to a soldier in the Enoggera Close Training Area during Exericse Ram Strike. Photo by Private Jacob Hilton.

Poets Corner

THE SPARTANS

02/02/202202/02/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 522 Views 0 Comments By Tomas 'Paddy' Hamilton

We fought like ancient Spartans, with no shame or fear Amongst the tales of bravery, very few came near During

A Vietnam veteran lays a cross to remember those who died at Long Tan during a parade to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan at Gallipoli Barracks, Brisbane, 18 August 2016. Original photo by Janine Fabre, digitally modified by CONTACT.

Poets Corner

Conscription – a tragedy

30/01/2022 Mick Shave 277 Views 0 Comments By Michael Shave

The Obscenity of Conscription (and PTSD) He sits at the table nursing his beer, Scruffy, unwashed, a bit smelly I

A collection of rare old warbirds at the Wings Over Illawarra air Show 2021. Photo by Brian Hartigan.

Poets Corner

THE WARBIRDS NEST

27/01/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 420 Views 0 Comments By Tomas 'Paddy' Hamilton

WE ARRIVED HERE MANY YEARS AGO, BUT NOW I STAND ALONE BENEATH THE MOUNTAIN’S SHADOW, IN THE HUNTER TOWN OF

Major General Ron Grey inspects members of the 5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment on parade at Holsworthy in 1981 – and at a social function in 2012. Uniformed photo by Sergeant Craig Murphy. Social photo by Brian Hartigan.

Poets Corner

Caesar Still Lives

23/01/202224/01/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 760 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

Major General R.A. Grey AO, DSO – a salute from all his centurions, living and dead Find me the soldier who

Australian Army soldiers from the 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, move on foot into the isolated community of Gipsy Point, north-west of Mallacoota, Victoria, to provide health support. Photo by Major Gavin Cole.

Poets Corner

A Tribute

16/01/2022 Mick Shave 269 Views 0 Comments By Michael Shave

A man remembered, Peter Bunn; In those days vigorous, full of fun. While we ‘The Company’ gain in skill (Training

Poets Corner

OUR FLAG

04/01/2022 Mel Austin 559 Views 0 Comments By Mel Austin

Of all the flags which have been flown And still are yet to be I think the one which is

← Previous