Military Hopes

The laughter, won't ever die out,
The print on the letters, won't ever fade
I'll always remember our parting words
and all the promises that you made

I let you go from my grasp
and watched you walk away,
boarding that great old ship,
watching you set out, far into the bay.

The first letter arrived, I could almost hear your tone,
Telling me how much you missed me,
and how you were going to be home.

Blaring through that old radio,
was the news from so far away
I'd pray and pray that you were safe,
pray and pray every day.

Until one day, the letters stopped coming,
The tension kept building up inside,
Expecting the worse, out of this situation
my inner fear I try to hide.

The old clock ticks, each second going by,
Awaiting those letters, awaiting the news.
I'm still praying, still praying,
kneeling on these church pews.

Tell me now, with pen and paper,
that you're well, that you're safe,
Tell me you love me, say it's true,
just longing for a letter from you.

One long year has passed, of taking the news,
The soldiers will be home, I've never lost hope, that you will be too.

So come home, come home!
Soldiers grab your guns and pack,
and board that ship once again,
And I'll be waiting for you when you get back.

I waited and waited, for you to show,
Never losing my hope,
I'll wait here forever,
Because without you, I could never cope.

But you never came, you never showed,
As I saw the Sergent came over with a mournful look,
"He fought bravely, you should be proud"
And upon leaving, handed me a book.

In the few back pages, were pages full of letters addressed to me.
And reading those sorrowful words, my heart begins to tear,
Why did you have to take him away, it's just not fair.

And to this day, the memory of you won't ever fade
And I will always remember our parting words...
and the promises that you made.

**Thanks to Kat who helped me with this poem.