War

Her smile cracked as he distanced into the haze
His azure eyes now a lingering sidelong gaze
Cold slapped her cheek where his warm hand had once been
This was punishment for which cursed sin?

The sun dipped below the endless sky
Almost as if he took it away with him
She blinked back tears, she couldn’t cry
But her eyes spoke, once sparkling, now dim

Fingers trembling as she dressed at dawning
The birds didn’t chirp, almost as if in mourning
Knees buckling as they walked over the bridge
He left, now she stood at the corner of a depthless ridge

He fought for freedom, people and land
She fought against her trembling hand
Each time war took him one nation further
She could swear her war became 10 times harder

She held onto his words, his voice
She held onto life because she had no choice
‘Wait for me my love’, he had told her
But she was so afraid, she was consumed with fear

The further he walked
The tauter a chord in her chest strained
The softer her laugh became
The further she was from ever being the same

As the stars threatened to take over the night
and the ruby and sapphire fought with all their might
The clouds cracked her an imperceptible grin
It was his smile she realized, it was the sky’s twin

She looked again at the vanishing shadow
She imagined that this was their green-grass meadow
That she was dancing with this man she held so dear
And waved to the shadow with a heart full of tears.