Christina A. Sharik
A MOTHER’S EYES
Awarded: February 12, 2007Her mouth is smiling
her hands are clapping;
she stands because she’s proud
Her wounded child is
marching by;
she cries, but not aloud
Her heart is sore,
her soul is sad
She’ll never let him know it…
He only sees the strength
he needs
Her fear? She will not show it
He’s walking down the
carpet
all rolled out, and red…
in honor of his sacrifice
and the blood that he has shed
It’s the new place there in Texas
that will help the vets get well;
when they come home from battle,
when they come home from hell.
He marches by on crutches
He’s in a wheelchair,
or maybe he’s the one who
has no face
no eyes
no hair
Their mothers are the ones you see
standing on the sides
The ones whose loving smiles
don’t reach
completely to their eyes
They will not show their sorrow
they only show their strength
If they have to carry their dear child
they’ll do it, the whole length
of their own broken lives ~
of the life of their loved one
Only the eyes betray her
when she sees her wounded son.
©Copyright January 2007 by Christina A. Sharik
Author’s Note: Inspired by the ceremonies commemorating the new facilities at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, TX