Gone Again

By Norman Mike Nelson

A tear slowly rolled down my face

as I said goodbye to my son.

Far away there was a war

still waiting to be won.

My grandson holds tightly

to his father's hand and says slowly,

"Papa will this war end

before I am a man?

My throat is tight.

I can hardly breath.

How can I answer my little man

who has such a need?

My grandson and I have been here before.

This is not the first time

we've watched his father

leave for war.

This is my son's third trip

to the Middle East.

I pray each day and ask you Lord,

"Why do we keep providing you such a feast?"

He does not answer

just keeps taking my son.

I am starting to believe

this war will never be won.

How Many Times Must I Go

By Norman Michael Nelson

How many times must I go until you see my walk is slow.

It’s not the movement of my legs, its my mind that needs the time, I beg.

 

You have quit on this war and you’re deaf to a nation’s fears.

A nation that has waited for years.

 

This war will not end as long as you keep

 treating our enemies as our friends.

 

My buddies and I lie here in this ditch.

Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall, we never bitched at all.

 

Instead of help like tanks and planes.

You threw on our lap a shooting policy that reads like crap.

 

There’s nothing left except bad memories and good friends.

At least they’ll be here if I feel the end.

 

We do not see what has happened yet.

But we feel the bad like all good soldiers have.

 

It’s all around and the only comfort is this hole in the ground.

The earth, we caress its bosom, and pray we only see the top.

But even as I lay here the shooting never stop.

Your Words

By Norman Mike Nelson

There are only words that hold me in place.

Not the sound of your voice or the glow of your face.

You see only words help us carry on

when someone special is gone.

Words are memories, good ones I say.

They give you direction and help us walk away.

Some people forget quickly and some never will.

Why? Who knows because it’s better than a pill? 

Think of the nights when you can’t sleep

And that quick prayer to God that runs so deep. 

We know God can’t help us all the time,

But there’s comfort in those words that don’t seem to rhyme. 

Like the “Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want,

He leadeth me beside the still water.”

It is at this point that the words hold you.

Not to a place, nor a time, nor a space. 

They hold you because words last forever.

They come from love, from your heart, and from the Lord above.