tour of duty

not enough pain to stop the work
enough for anger and jangled nerve
i'm lacking energy spirit even verve
and right now feel i'm a bit of a berk
but tired or not i'm not allowed to shirk
i've got to work i've got to go and serve
from my course i cannot ever swerve
around me settles gloomy night and mirk
not here the triumph or the sad collapse
no eager trumpets announcing doom
instead the minutes ticking one by one
i don't expect to fall or to relapse
the silence is not quite that of the tomb
i'm here until the hour then i'm done