Off To War

The air within you is slowly sucked out to sea
There is a date that is clearly visable now
A date with your children, your wife, your life
Was the past half of a year real?
Even though it helped build your 'career'
You would do anything to erase it

Your wife cannot go one day without dreaming
Dreaming of your return
Filling her day with more pills, shopping, rituals
Her throat, chest, stomach have tightened
She is crying almost every day
The feelings of anticipated elation
Literally suck the air out from her chest
Her duty has long been done

Your kids are a bit bigger, a bit smarter
They have done their best to survive
The oldest is so proud but still doesn't understand
The youngest knows your pictures
The middle stares with piercing defiance
Crying, seeking, wanting, needing
They can inflict no more distress
On their mother or each other

One can take full measure of their life
While they're not living it
And from where you sit, what have you got?
All you want is to come home
Those close to you have lived on without you
And maybe it's their sacrifices that you measured
How else can you explain something like this?


We are down to a couple weeks my man

Linda wrote:

you will let him read this when he gets back, right????

amazing Steve, really amazing the way you move me with this writing of yours....

no chance i will show him this...telling a military guy he's a muse for writing poetry would ruin my reputation as a dude. and thanks...it's a pleasure moving you, and quite a ride this has been...

but i think i will walk away from this thread the moment i walk toward him to shake his hand.

As the plane stopped on the tarmac
Your wife's prayers were answered
Your children's excitement overwhelming
All overwhelming.

Coming down the stairs
One by one
Your children came running
Amazing, awkward, pure

Words cannot describe the scene
Gushing emotions
Bottled up for half a year
Joy
Bubbling like the finest champagne
Time to celebrate

Six and a half months
A long time to be away
As I sat across from you, wine in hand
You said it was like it never happened
It was like a bad dream
And the bliss of your return seemed to erase
The nightmare of your absence.

So much can be written here
Yet it would never do this service justice
Your entire family suffered, endured, perservered
Always with you, even without you.
And the most patriotic thing we can do
Is say 'thanks'.

ClutchTheDawn wrote:

I thought to myself, how will he sum this all up? and here it is. BRILLIANT

a 1,000 thanks

a bump today for those on the tip of the sword...

tremors wrote:

wow - really thought provoking and moving thread - and writing

thank you!