Aussie Gone and Back

He left a city of wanderers for wandering
half across the world to lay it out
across a more unstructured beach
Respite from the agony of words and women
on the downside of an upside world

Seems the phrasing followed, sharpened
A clearer head perhaps, in lighter air
The smoke and age of Europe given over
Seen as all things best are seen
Distanced from lingerings of self resolve

And yet a half year saw him back again
Tortured and beconed by what was left of him
in twisting narrow streets, cobblestone thought
The things that never leave in flight
carried half a world to carry back

It doesn't work for him here anymore, nor there
If a battle's to be fought, then hunker in
in stinking trenches of what's gone, not lost
Stumbling over the bodies of friends and loves
Turning each to look at faces, smell the blood

Some wars won't end and others will
but no one ever brings an armistace
Sets the tables of negotiated boundaries
steps back, salutes, handing over weapons
Such things are history and history's a lie