Poetry Contest Entry

Journey

~By Poetess

Your life is as equivalent to a captivating novel,
Filled with adventures, secrets, love and sorrow.
Being raised in a sizable family,
You both gained and sacrificed in your life opportunities, Inside you lived in solitude and dreams,
Living your life for what it seemed.
The outside obscured by a large family-unit,
Then came a time to test your limits.
Youthful and married with two toddlers at your side,
You learned to deal with the struggles in stride.
I remember you always having a happy face,
Even when we were down and out,
Sacrifice, had seemed to be the case.
Then came a time when dad joined the Navy,
And you the military wife,
Joined in his adventurous life,
Dad said he'd show you a life so true,
And he stood by his word, eager to pursue.
A traveling life he had led,
And we went along in excitement, of what would lie ahead.
We experienced a life so full,
We traveled every 3 years as the "Navy rule",
A couple times we had seen the Grand Canyon,
In Alaska we caught plenty of Salmon,
On a dried lake in the desert, I learned how to drive a 5 speed,
We watched the fireworks along the Mississippi in Tennessee.
We had Palm Trees in our front yard in San Diego,
We rode on the Worlds largest Farris wheel in Tokyo.
The ocean air in Virginia Beach we relished,
We visited the sight in New Jersey where the Hindenburg had perished.
We learned to adapt to our new way of life,
You always made our new home especially nice.
In discouraging situations you were always forthcoming,
Even though deployments were hard, you gave the best homecomings.
Their came a time when you got lost,
Wondering the price of happiness, eventually had a cost?
Happily married for 21 years, your life seem to be invincible,
Then, dreadfully hearing two Officers tell you the inevitable.
You wanted to hide away in your own secret cave,
You were filled with pain, sorrow and rage.
You were told by many, that time would heal,
But how would they know, they don't know how you feel.
Little things everyday reminded you of your heartache,
Coming home to an empty house, you were ready to forsake.
You stood strong and took it day by day,
And started a new journey to find your own way.
We noticed you having more "good days", yet we knew when you felt low,
You'd snuggle up in your bed and read your "Chicken Soup For The Soul".
As you lived these past few years in loneliness,
You felt it was time to embark on your search of happiness.
Your ability to finally smile and laugh, after all you've been through,
Proves that you're an amazing wife, and mother,
With wonderful memories of a life so true.
Comment: This is a tribute to my mother, who has experienced life, behind the eyes of a Military Wife.

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