Tale of the Toy Soldier

Written by lamplight at 1 in the morning. I don't know where this came from. 16 Aug 2008

Once there was a little toy soldier,
Dressed so sharp in brown and red,
And a girl who held him safe and sound,
So happily the warm days fled.

He loved her voice, so soft and clear,
Her golden hair that shone in fall,
And ever he kept watch to keep her safe,
His friend, his captain, his homeward call.

But one day in June she went far away,
And though for days he bravely waited,
The days became weeks became months,
Left him with loneliness he hated.

Year by year he was found by others,
Though all brought a smile to his face,
None could give him his happiness again,
None could give him the same embrace.

Every hello like a funeral's farewell,
He struggled to find her once again,
And he tried to fight a winter war,
But could find no battles he could win.

And now years are fading into grey,
But still the soldier's clockwork turned,
And every day he painted his smile,
Though inside his little heart still burned.

One night he set about to write,
But when his pen on paper dropped,
He couldn't find a word to say,
And that was when his ticking stopped.