A Letter to my Soldiers...

I miss you.

 

It's been so long since I've seen your face,

that all I have are these dusty old memories.

I used to wake from slumber

to feel your warm breath

worshipping the nape of my neck.

Now I stir from my dream world

with sweat beads on my back

and a weight within my soul.

 

The children ask when you will return

and I tell them soon.

They have questions about why you left to fight-

and I tell them it is so they won't have to.

They wonder if you love them,

and I tell them "more than you know."

 

I hurt when you hurt-

I'm scared when you're scared,

I cry when you cry.

 

The space between us is great,

but in this heart i have, we are closer than we have ever been.

Come home to smother me in your arms.

Without you I'm cold even on the hottest days

because no blanket can warm like devotion.

Return safe so that your smile can melt

the chill all around me that makes

my blood

and

my body

and

the loneliness in the air

and

the days without you,

pass so slowly.

 

I will wait patiently and readily till' then,

as if time stopped the day you left-

and you will find that you feel like you never left at all.

I will celebrate your victory in life and in my heart.

 

Until then I love you

and I miss you.

 

Forever Yours,

America

Reviews

In my own writing there's something about the plight of a soldier I've never been able to catch. Between the echoing sorrow for the dead and the lingering misery of the living, to the immesurable pains of love, there is something I haven't quite been able to capture. You however, have hit the nail on the head and drove it cleanly into the reader. The pains of war are personal, permanent scars, felt not just by a man or his loved ones, but every man and their loved ones. The whole country - the whole world even - feels the string of war.

Sadly, I am not an american myself and the last word did not strike me as much as it would have done otherwise. I would not tamper with it though, only americans are so attuned to their own country (had it said "Forver yours, England" I would not relate to it any more personally) and even it to say "The world" or "humanity" or something more global loses that personal touch.

Ultimately, I don't think I could suggest an improvement to this one, so excellently done.

[Coyote Poetry]

I was a Soldier for 15 years. I was single when I came back from Iraq in1992. At the Airport. A few Mothers and Grandmother's were waiting for us at the airport. They greeted us and welcome us home. Giving us hugs and kind words. We need to remember the Soldiers. The loneliness and sadness of a military wife or husband must be so hard to bear. A excellent poem. Description and story were excellent.
Coyote

[No More]

How beautiful. Truly an amazing job. Can't describe how it makes me feel - both my hubby and I are serving.

[LacyBug]

WOW!!!! Loeva! What can I say! This is really heart filling and made me start tearing up! I really enjoyed reading this! Sometimes people just need to appreciate our SOLIDERS more everyday! I really enjoyed reading this! Keep up the GREAT WORK!! Love you!

LacyBug :)

[Wildecat]

This is beautiful, I sat here and read it with tears in my eyes. I am a Vietnam Veteran and really appreciate the efforts of our men and women in uniform past and present. This a wonderful poem, thanks so much for writing this.

[the_ese]

love me some soldiers. thanks for writing this. it needed to be said.

worshiping my nape. very nice.

[Everchanging Disaster]

I'm so glad It makes sense-I wasn't sure people would be able to gather that the letter is written to be from everyone who has a loved one overseas, I contemplated giving the title a bit more so the end wouldn't be a shock but then again I like shock so...

[Philosophile. (Maddy)]

That was beautiful. I really could feel the emotion in this one. It was so well written.
I absolutely love these lines:
"Without you I'm cold even on the hottest days
because no blanket can warm like devotion."

[4tune Cookie]

WOW...this is amazing...my favorite parts were
-no blanket warms like devotion
-Forever Yours America(LOVE IT)
I can totally relate to this poem...great read!!

[Girlintheworld]

Wow! Another masterpiece! This poem is so beautiful and touching. The last two lines are unexpected and PERFECTION. Love you much!