THE PROMISE
On a bunker in the evening breeze,
We sat and watched
the trees.
We talked of home and the girls we’ve known,
And a ‘57 Chevy that
you once owned.
We were young and
so far from home,
In a place that we
had never known.
But we were happy and scared and so alone.
We made a pact
that very night,
Amid the panic
of a firefight,
To get together when we got out of here.
We’d meet in Philly and I’d buy you a beer.
But that would
never happen.
We got so close in
such a very short time.
What was mine was your’s and what was your’s was mine.
You always shared
the packages you
got from home,
A can of spam,
some Koolaid and a plastic comb.
It meant so much
to hear from home.
Six months down
and six to go.
It won’t be long now before it’s time to go.
We’ll be standing
on the corner of our
old home town,
Gassin’ up that Chevy
just to cruise around.
It’s gonna feel so good to be back in the world.
I’ll finally see my family,
And my favorite girl.
Now all that ever mattered was
going home.
Well, that was
twenty-four years ago.
Why things happened that way I don’t really know.
Now here I am
staring at your name,
Standing at THE WALL
in the pouring rain.
The tears won’t stop
and I can’t see clear,
But here I am holding
on to two cold beers.
Welcome home to
you my brother.