casualties

She wanders the days in her mind that they walked,
Sees clearly what could be her life.
But that was before she’d waited so long,
‘fore she weld a thin pen to a knife.

Weeping hot tears, now she traces the loops
Of the letters, the words she must send
To change two young lives, to break two young hearts,
The other choice ‘tis but pretend.

She’ll mail off the letter tomorrow come noon.
He’ll get it eight days and two hence.
He’ll read it six times and then three times more,
Then retake his post at the fence.

He’ll finish his tour and up for two more
She’ll wed the boy met in between.
And their disp’rate lives will play out apart,
But for war how it all might have been.