Post Traumatic Stress

Never met my father-in-law; he was lost in the war!
And though he lived to tell the tale
Of how he'd gone missing for ten long years
It never really erased his fears!
Three times his ships were sunk!
He was the last survivor in the boat
He had to watch and wait as life
Slowly ebbed and finally ceased
For all his mates; he then was priest
As he blessed their bodies; sent them forward
Over the side of that lifeboat; overboard!
The last to survive; to tell their tale
Of how the ocean great; claimed their lives
He; only he survived; one man alone!
The Captain; the Cabin boy; friends all!
He had to watch them take their fall!
As one by one they succumbed
To the madness of the sea; from which they drank!
So, all alone on that mighty sea
Of the many; alone was he!
Tossed and turned upon those waves!
Imagine him sitting; waiting; commiserating
See his face as he must have been!
As those salty tears poured down his cheeks
Holding that cabin boy close once more
Before he had to toss his young body overboard
Bidding farewell to all those he'd known
Ever always being thrown
Hungry; thirsty; overwhelmed!
Waiting; waiting day and night!
Praying; praying to be found!

Finally returning at long last
To his wife and his home
Though ten long years had passed!
A ten year old son now waiting there
Just the same as he; with his fair hair!
But doubts assailed his mind
Was the boy his son undoubted?
Fear and anger made his life
And those he loved
A misery so hard to bear!
The dreams; images so deeply seared
In mind and body; unprepared to face those fears!

Post Traumatic Stress disorder
The official name of his mental state!
Too little help; much too late!

The pile of empty wine flagons; grew by the door!
The dishes flew onto the floor
Unable to exist; as before!
No easy homecoming to that shore!
Two more sons were to come along
To share his life; what was left of it!
So difficult to cope with it all!
Not too many years later
The end did come; way too soon!
At 46; his brain couldn't cope
The aneurism; in his brain; it broke!

Many long years posthumously
A Medal of Honour was bestowed
Too late for this heroic man of the sea!
Of Viking warriors; from a long line was he!
A Merchant Seaman; wed to the sea
The land loving life was never 
For such a one as he!

Still he is remembered!
By his sons and grandchildren as well!
We'll remember him as he was
Alive and living; serving on the seas
 A real hero to those he knew; to those he lost
Staying alive at any cost!
His name carried on by his family!

Rickard Alsing Andersson
Born: 15th September 1915