The Warmth Of His Hand

This is about a man who goes off to war and leaves his pregnant wife behind.

She reads the book that kept her secrets,
The book that helped her through the dark times,
She reflects on her life a year ago,
She remembers her spiral into insanity.


One year ago, once a happy and beautiful girl,
So full of life, peace, and joy,
Although her life wasn't complete,
Until on that fateful autumn day.

Just sitting there on that park bench,
Listening to the wind rustling the leaves,
Feeling the brisk air caress her cheek,
She looked up to find a boy looking sad.


She said "Hey" and he said it back,
They sat on that bench together,
She listens not to the wind but to him,
The only thing she feels is his warm hand caressing her frozen cheek

After that day the girl knew it was love,
The days they spent walking in the park,
That was their place,
A place where the pain of the world could not reach them.

She wasn't sure how the boy felt,
If his feelings were romantic or platonic,
But she was certain of one thing,
She was madly in love.

A few months go by and he makes her day,
He tells her that he loves her and he wants her to be his,
She cries tears of joy and he goes down on one knee,
He says, "I know we're young but I love you and I want you to marry me."

The girl and the boy made love to each other that night,
They were virgins before that time,
But they knew it was right,
And they gave in to their desires.


A few weeks go by and she has breaking news,
"Honey, I'm pregnant." is what she tells him,
He is thrilled and she is glad,
But one day they get a phone call that would change their lives.

The boy picks up the phone and his eyes grow wide with fear,
The voice on the other end is so deep and powerful,
The boy asks "When?" and the girl nearly faints,
For she knows what has happened, her love has been drafted

The day of his departure is a solemn one,
The girl helps him in his uniform and he packs his things,
He says to her, "Know that I love you, know that I am eternally yours. If I don't come back, marry a new man. Someone I know will protect you and our child."
She cries and says, "I could never do such a thing!" and he looks at her, knowingly.

A few weeks go by and the letters come,
They won this battle and that,
He's safe and fine but questions about her,
She says that she is fine but she isn't.

Several more weeks go by and her belly is growing, she gets exciting news, it's a girl,
She rushes home to write to her love and tell him of the news, when she receives a call,
And just like that, her love is dead. The man explains his death but she does not hear him, In her mind, she hears her love speak and the warmth of his hand caressing her frozen cheek.