A fire in my heart, burning
My stomach, churning.

Her smile brighter than the sun
Lets me know to let go of my son.

He goes off to fight in this war
I know he’s found something worth dying for.

He walks off with pride and strength, he does not run
I know that these tears are not for my son.

As these long days pass me by
I pray for my son to live and not die.

As a harsh storm passes over town
The sky cries sending rain down.

Through the mid-morning dew and thick hail
His letter arrives in the mail.

In the envelope is a picture and a folded letter
It makes me happy to know he’s doing better.

In the letter, he writes how’s it been and how much he missed us
We started missing him as soon as he got on the bus.

In the picture he’s standing on a hill holding his gun
I can tell his smile is brighter than the sun.

I smile and my eyes fill up with tears
And right there I have no fears.

* * * * *
It’s been a few weeks since his last letter
And things never got better.

Now I have this stabbing pain
Praying it washes away in the rain.

Next to an empty coffin, under a flag
And wondering if there was anything in that body bag.


Now his name written in stone
Knowing that down there is no bone.

I hope and pray to know he’ll always be loved
I look up in the clear sky and I see the whitest dove.