You pack your suitcase in a hurry
Worried about missing your opportunity
To go off and follow your dreams.
As I stand back, I watch you
Toss in things you'll need
To help finish your training along
With the vision of freedom
Peeking out through the wrinkles
In your clothing.
You glance at me
And I no longer see the boy
I had held in my arms all these years
But instead a man who finds
No fear in bullets and battlefields
Whether it's at home or in the frontier.
With tears in your eyes
You plaster a smile upon your face
And I can't help but wonder
If it's from the adrenaline rushing
Through your veins, the excitement of war
Or the regret in what you're leaving behind.
Bravery is not anything learned from
Childhood stories, but instead is a trait you
Carry on your broad shoulders and in
Your heart as you search for courage
When it is needed the most.
He embraces me in his arms as I
Hold my son for what may be the last time.
“Everything's gonna be fine”
He whispers.
And I can't tell if he's trying
To reassure me or
Himself.