I wished you the best of luck,
As you tossed your packed bags carefully into the dirty bed of your truck.
You turned to me with a smile,
Whispered, “I’ll only be gone for a little while”.
I leaned into you as you kissed my forehead,
Praying to the Lord, “Please, don’t let my baby come home dead.”
You gave me a nod and hopped into the driver’s seat,
Started the engine, my heart skipped a beat.
I watched you as you drove down the road to your fate,
Kicking up dust, letting you go, whispering, “Goodbye, Nate.”

A little while turned into months, then slowly turned into years.
But still I waited for you, despite all of my fears.
I’ll never forget the day I saw that black car,
Kicking up dust, like your dirty truck had once done from afar.
I sat on our porch swing, my whole body glued into place,
I knew what was coming, the sorrow hidden in the wrinkles of the soldier’s face.
The slur of his words all blended together,
As he slowly placed that yellow letter in my lap, light as a feather.

I slowly tore open my heart, edges stinging my fingers with each tear,
To see what rested inside, I simply couldn’t bare.
I got up from our porch swing with the strength I had left,
Thinking about your life, your heart, this theft.
Your voice softly whispered, “It’s never too late”,
I let go of my heart, watched it float in the dust, and whispered back,
“Good bye, Nate.”