"Wake, my boy, for I have little time
It's papa, calling, now awake your mind"
A boy of ten grumbles and stirs
hearing his father force rushed words
"What, papa? Why do you wake me?
It's still dark outside, can't you see?"
A father smiles and then he cries
A son so pure, full of youth and life
"Rise my boy, I must bid you farewell.
I must take leave for now, and must not dwell."
"It's fine papa, go, go if you must
I will see you when you return, I will not rust"
"My boy, I leave and may not come home
I've been called to war, to leave you all alone"
The boys opens his eyes and sits up in bed
The look in his father's eyes conveyed that of dread
"Leave to war, what do you mean?
Don't go, just stay here with me."
A father swells with all of strength
To hold back the tears that only war makes
"My boy, I can't, they would take both our lives
I must go, so that you can survive.
I love you son, I just wanted to say
Take care of your mother, and your sisters, okay.
You are the man of this household now
If I don't return, make your father proud."
"Papa, Papa, I love you Papa
I will make you proud Papa"
"That's my boy, now get back to sleep.
When you wake you will remember me"
The boy nods his head, and grows stern inside
The boy lays his head down, to dreams he returns
A father backs out of his lovely sons room
No longer a boy but a man now blooms.
Randy Sturridge
2 comments:
Interesting tale. You play well on the idea of "war", never indicating if it's war as in the militaristic sense, or war as in the warring factions within many homes, or a cop getting that late night call- all work well depending on what the reader wants to see it as. But besides that you play on the aspects of strength, courage, duty and most importantly growing up- and how sometimes certain events take place in a child's life that will age him/her well beyond their years- Excellent piece
Thank you for seeing that...Twas the intention. Make it whatever it needs to be. The only thing clear is that the father's life is on the line, and that the boy must raise to the occasion with all the love and strength is father has given him. This just hit me today and I wrote it quickly at Barnes and Nobles...Was inspired from a thought from a great book "My Brother Sam Is Dead." Look into that little read and you will see what I mean.
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