A Soldier's Homecoming
When silence isn’t golden, making space for buried fears,
A long-awaited welcome home becomes the place of tears.
A glance into a hallway mirror reflects a youth denied.
This soldier carries memories of his comrades who have died.
“Why did I survive?” he asks, the visions of those days
Speed coursing through his weary mind. They say it’s just a phase.
There are children here to think of, thrilled to have their father home
And a beauty who has nurtured and protected them alone.
The past is convoluted, made of sadness, grief, and pain.
And the soldier asks in silence, “Would I do it all again?”
The scars upon his arms and legs don’t hurt like those inside.
A beating heart won’t heal so fast. He knows, for he has tried.
But as this man inhales the air that feels so clean and pure
A spark inside revives a core of purpose—and he’s sure.
A reason for beginning such a journey had a seed.
He and others felt compelled to offer help in times of need.
Oh, is war right or is it wrong? The questions have no end.
He only knows a soldier’s dedication to defend.
The murky mists of what went wrong will serve a purpose still
To usher in a better way to climb up freedom’s hill.
Yes, friends are gone, but only in their corporality.
Their memories are in everything in this struggle to find peace.
His loved ones sleep and dream of calm within their family.
They want their soldier’s mind to rest and simply let it be.
The Master gave us time to grieve, to cry and help us cope.
Tomorrow is another day of promise and of hope.
Leslie Mellinger
