I'M COMING HOME
Twilight deepens.
Smoke spirals slowly into the sky,
from darkened chimneys almost hidden
by piles of snow covering the rooftops:
Snow I never thought I'd see again.
Strains of Christmas songs drift through the air.
My shoes make crunchy sounds
on the new fallen snow.
The smell of home cooking tickles my nose.
Sounds and smells I never thought I'd enjoy again.
I wrap my old Army jacket around me,
snuggling deeper inside its warmth;
fingers chilled through my gloves.
My ears and nose cold to the touch.
After the heat of the jungle, the cold feels good.
The biting wind makes drifts,
and snowfall covers my tracks.
Soft glowing lights seep from
around closed drapes.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
Suitcase under arm;
home from a war they call a skirmish,
to the warmth, at last,
of my family hearth.
God Bless America
I'm coming home.