Penny Rock

BLUE DRESS

I have a blue dress.
It’s perfect for dances.
I can tell that he likes it.
I can tell by his glances.

We slip into town
For a little diversion
To escape for awhile
War’s total immersion.

We dine and we dance,
We kiss and we talk.
Before it’s too late,
We take a short walk.

He loves my blue dress,
Says it matches my eyes.
Then he tells me he loves me
Under warm, moonlit skies.

We head back to the compound.
It’s a rather long trip.
As we approach the MP’s,
I feel fear’s viselike grip.

I have a blue dress,
But there’ll be no more dancing.
We’re under attack,
So there’ll be no romancing.

The night has turned ugly.
We hear war’s booming sound.
Before we can run,
We’re both blown to the ground.

I feel his body
Draped over my own.
I see his guts spilling.
I see a bare bone.

My love has been wounded.
His blood soaks my dress.
I know he won’t make it.
He’s in mortal distress.

I drag him to surgery
Where doctors will cut,
And try to repair
His poor shattered gut.

The doctors are sorry.
They did all they could.
They move to the next boy,
Just as they should.

My love lies in his bed
Still covered in grime.
His heartbeat is thready.
It’s a matter of time.

I have a blue dress,
As blue as my eyes.
I wear it while waiting
As he slowly dies.

I cover his body
And stand by his bed.
The last time I’ll see him
Is now… and he’s dead.

I remove the bloody blue dress.
It’s lost all its beauty.
So I put on a scrub dress,
And get back to duty.

I had a blue dress.
It wasn’t worn often.
I just sent it with him
To be placed in his coffin.