the smoke has cleared

and in the distance i see him.

across the battleground he stands tall

and gazes into my eyes with love and sadness.

with all the word soldiers lying dead around us,

we stand and stare knowing the love we had

is still there because we are stuck in the mire of it all,

still standing and as we stare,

his horse of freedom comes up behind him and nudges him in the back

and sadly he tells me softly that he loves me and sadly, i tell him, too...

and as he jumps up and turns to ride away i shout,

"but give me my heart back!" and he says he can't,

that's what the battle was all about.

did i win or did i lose?

(c) 1975 Nan C.