He said to her that he was going for a short while
then he waved his hand as he crossed the stile.
The moor looked so lovely the day he went, that
was three years ago and six weeks past lent.
Everyday she waited and stared across the moor
hoping he would come back a better man than before.
As the months turned into years her heart became
full of fears because rumours were spreading
and walls have ears. Everytime she went to the
market place she hid her face because she felt so out
of place. The village folk they knew the story, but he was
still her husband who had war time glory. In her heart she
believed he would return, but she was young and she had
a lot to learn.
He loved the girls and he made them cry, but she was
different the apple of his eye. At least she had that to
hold her together whenever she felt down and under the
weather. Her love for him got stronger everyday as her
own life just seemed to drift away, she would walk the
moor day after day but all this was doing was taking her
breath away. Summer and winter she did not care about
the weather, if just once more they could be together.
The sun was beautiful and the sky was clear and in the
distance she could hear someone saying 'hello my dear!
Her heart missed a beat she knew at once there was no
other, but her darling Thomas her Husband and lover.
He was shellshocked and lame, trench warfare was to
blame and many a solider returned home the same;
and some even forgot their name.
sylvia spencer
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-patriotic-tale/
