The Silent Ranks

Not all ranks march in formation, and not all courage is visible. Long after uniforms are folded away and weapons fall silent, many veterans continue to serve a different kind of duty one that takes place in the private terrain of memory, loss, and moral reckoning. The Silent Ranks is written for those who walk that path, often unnoticed, “walking with the silent ranks,” carrying stories that are heavy, complex, and deeply human.

This poem is not about battle itself, but about what follows. It speaks to the moments when the noise fades and the echoes remain “until the night it comes to fall, memories run at speed at walls” when medals gleam while eyes grow tired, and when bravery is no longer measured by action, but by endurance. It honors the reality that trauma does not always announce itself loudly; “courage isn’t always loud, sometimes it hides beneath a shroud,” wrapped in guilt, memory, and unspoken pain.

At its heart, The Silent Ranks is also about companionship. Healing is not portrayed as something imposed or rushed, but as a slow, respectful walk taken side by side “reach out a hand for them to trust,” offering presence rather than answers. The poem recognises that helping veterans heal does not mean erasing their past, but allowing space for it to be carried differently, “not to erase all they told, but help them find the peace of old,” with dignity, understanding, and hope.

Finally, this work reflects the truth that healing is never one sided. Those who walk alongside soldiers and veterans counselors, peers, loved ones, and advocates are changed as well. “In healing work, we find our own,” the poem reminds us. In bearing witness to pain, resilience, and hard earned wisdom, they gain teachers, companions, and a deeper understanding of what courage truly looks like. The Silent Ranks stands as a tribute to every soldier and veteran still finding their way, and to the quiet, shared humanity that makes that journey possible “we walk with them, they’re not alone.”

I am humbled that A New Ulster Magazine a Northern Based Poetry, Prose & Arts Magazine that features Poets and Artists from across Ireland and from around the world have chosen to include my poem The Silent Ranks in there first publication of 2026.