A Soldier’s Dream
You dream of the scent of a woman’s skin;
Your woman’s. Her legs
Entwined with yours, her hair the
Music your fingertips play.
But you do not sleep.
You dream of eyes that only speak the
Language of love;
Your child’s. Soft cheek against your bare
Chest, gentle baby slumbering to the steady
Beat of your heart.
Still, you do not sleep.
You dream of silence you do not fear;
Sound you do not run from.
Sacrifice that keeps you whole, but
Still you do not sleep.
Still, you do not sleep.
Tucking a crinkled letter in your pocket,
You stand. On bruised legs,
Inside a shattered body
Blood-stained as the setting sun,
You rise and do not sleep.
-Allison LaBine
Image © Allison LaBine
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