I Will Wait For You

In sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow, I will wait for you.

The letter came that fateful day,

To tear you and I apart.
The weeks before you were forced on your way,
Were a blur of a blackened art.

For months I agonised for your return to date,
In sorrow deep enough for fiction.
Until on the dreaded list I read of your fate:
"Missing In Action"

In years that passed, I waited alone,
While no news came of the part of myself.
Hordes of soldiers were flocking back home,
But your file just gathered dust on the shelf.

I knew not if you were dead or alive,
I knew not what to do.
I had closed my heart, praying you would survive,
To love again, seemed taboo.

Time flew by and my hope began to dwindle,
Though I still clutched at your small chance.
But soon all was left was a flickering candle,
Quivering in its uncertain dance.

What was I to think, I was torn,
Should I love again or retain my faith?
Surrender hope or stay lovelorn,
Or choose another to take your place?

My anguish one morn was put to an end, 
When finally, I learned,
That I had to let go, could not pretend,
For I was awaiting one who would never return.

The letter came that fateful day,
To tear you and I apart.
But 'Nam was not where the fighting truly lay,
The real war was within my heart.

Reviews

[Alessander]

This has the feeling of a ballad, and the repitition of the first stanza (more or less) I think puts this in that genre. It tells a story cleanly, without much obfuscation or elaborate rhetoric or dense diction. The rhymes were solid, I wasn't even bothered by "fiction"/"action" like I normally would be lol

I once read that "A tragedy is never based on a character having to choose between a virtue and a vice, but rather between two competing virtues, like love of family, or love of country" and I found the stanza debating between "faith" and "love", or even "reason" and "emotion" the most interesting part of this piece. The theme "all is fair in love and war" also popped to mind...anyhow, nice write.

The only suggestion I can offer is that you fit this into a proper ballad format, but that's up to you, naturally.

[C. Monique Langston]

Beautiful poem. I love it so much.

[Shane Mohamed]

This is quite emotional indeed. There is some serious depth in it. I won't be a sore loser so congratulations for winning the contest. You earned it.

[smilempsn]

Congratulation on wining the 'EMotion' contest..

Well this write indeed needs a award :)
I loved the following stanza the most

'I knew not if you were dead or alive,
I knew not what to do.
I had closed my heart, praying you would survive,
To love again, seemed taboo.'

Amazing write... :) :)

[cimmy wuv xxxooo]

This was so heartfelt and something allot of people can relate to. I really feel so much emotion put into this poem, has such a great story line to it, very sad, kinda romantic and defiantly touching.
Unfortunately war happens and some people actually want to go to war to defend there country and all that. I personally couldn't date a guy that was in a war, it would be hard beyond belief. Although some chicks do and i cant imagine what they go though never being with the guy, wondering if hes going to come home alive, its not worth the relationship in my eyes. Very well written though and it would touch and relate to allot of woman out there. I enjoyed reading this peace allot and it was worth first prize in my ROMANCE contest. Job well done keep writing :)

[L. Fenella]

Oh...beautiful...wow. I loved the song-like rhythm.

[Areeba]

It's so emotional, I really really love it!

[Mary Christabel George]

Message of this misfortune conveyed well with combination of rhymes.
Good!

[Pinkjumpers]

So beautiful, I had to fight back the tears!