SOME THOUGHTS
Why do they do what the do?
Why did they do what they did?
I have seen the far away look in my husband's eyes
I have seen his tears that sometimes fall from his eyes
Then he is gone from me and I cannot intrude when they call
He says that he does not go far; just out of site is all
I just go and visit with my friends who have given their all
Those are his words said with a tear, just saying hi is all
I see Tio as he stands on the porch and into the distance stares
I see his lips move in silent speech as into the past he tries to reach
No tears on his face, just a haunted look in his eyes
He shakes his head as he finishes his goodbyes
In his room, everything has its own place
There on his dresser a book that holds his brave deeds
On the wall off to the side, next to her picture hangs a box
A box made of Ironwood, hard and strong as was hers
Those boxes hold their legacies and tales of proud deeds
His hang on the wall and are kept under glass, below his book
His book of parchments that tell of great battles and of a proud soldier
He sometimes looks at them and then shakes his head as if to say, No.
I have her box, the one born in the fire, inside are the stories of her families
Stories of brave young troopers who died long ago, leaving a young wife behind
Stories of terrible battles and blood staining the ground,
Medals and Berets covered in blood, papers and pictures covered as well.
She gave so much to help keep us free, she asked nothing in return except that they are loved
She gave her father to die in a dark foreign land, her mother to prejudice and hate
Her Uncle to twin silver birds that died as the twin towers became fires from Hell
Her father to Cancer from a time so long ago, how much more would she be asked to give?
Heroes they were each and every single one, to her each was precious
She loved and adored them and to be a soldier was her biggest dream
Her size precluded her burning desire to serve and to save
Her small plaintive voice in the dark night as she prayed
Please let me help, please let me go, me I do not matter
I do not matter if in my grave I should be, I do not matter
I know I can help, I know that I can save – if only one can I save
If only one I can save and send him home, then my life will have mattered
My life will have mattered and not been in vain,
If only one brave soldier I can save then my life will have mattered
To send her soldiers home, to see them free of pain
To her that was all that mattered, free them of their pain.
A legacy of bravery and a call to arms, they pack quietly
and they kiss us goodbye, never knowing if this is our last goodbye
I watched as they said their farewell and he walked out the door
I prayed that to us they would return, I thanked the Gods that mine did not go.