How they ever came to utter

The words…..

‘No I can draw faster’

(referring to their service revolvers)

To me remains an inexplicable aberrancy.

No matter, rounds were removed-

Click… click…. Click…click

a deafening detonation

Click… click… click…

another deafening detonation.

In that canteen in Castlereagh

A man fell against a wall and

Slid down leaving a red bloody smear.

His colleagues at a table playing cards

Grabbed the kitty and scarpered.

In that security sanger in Newry

They found them sitting still,

One paralysed with fear,

The other by the bullet that

Entered through his chin

And lodged in the back of his brain.