A Soldiers Final Prayer

He sat alone in the pouring rain
so that no one could see his tears,
so slowly dying on the inside
now consumed by all his fears. 

He clung on to his helmet
holding it tight against his chest,
with his eyes looking up to heaven
he cried out, "Lord, I did my best." 

The guns had long since silenced
yet they still echoed in his head,
though most never understood him
or really much of what he said. 

They said he'd been a soldier
in a war so many years ago,
and thought it made no sense now
that he could just never let it go. 

He sat alone with his heart aching
with a glossy far off stare,
wondering if what he did had mattered
and if someone perhaps still cared. 

As Memorial Day lay before him
and tributes would flow like wine,
no one would hear his final prayer
as he slowly went out of his mind. 

He would be buried like the others
in a soldiers grave in the ground,
and the last few words he'd ever speak
would be spoken when no one was around. 

Now somewhere up in heaven
he's looking down from a sky of blue
as he hears the words he longed to hear
in a final tribute from me and you. 

Author:  Dori Bushee
Printed With Permission

 

Dede's Note:
There are so many men left alone with no family to visit them, especially in the veterans hospitals. These men went to war to fight to give us freedom. Why aren't we there for them now? Need a family outing? Go visit a veterans home and cheer up someone who would be so thankful to see someone to talk to. Take some goodies along to share with all. You will be so surprised at all the smiles you see when you start a conversation with *special people*. You will learn so very much. They have so much to share. Take advantage of it! You will get a real education.