They looked like any other couple on the beach
Hand in hand
She was planning the future
Marriage, children, happiness
He would be going away
She couldn’t take it in at first
Nothing made sense
He tried to explain
It was like a calling
Something that grew and grew
Stronger than them both
Devastated, she left
He went off to war
Years of battles
Inflicting horror
Receiving the scars without complaint
Battle hardened
He saw her on the beach
Mother and child
Her dreams come true he hoped
He watched them for awhile
Thinking back to times before
Hand in hand
No regrets
She didn’t recognize him at first
His face like granite
Scared her
They talked
He would be staying awhile
The beach would bring them back
He watched as she slept
So peaceful
Unlike his own nightmares
Always death
Though at times they were a comfort
Something told him to stay
He saw a family
A future
He would be going
A letter his final gift
She didn’t ask him to stay
It was never meant to be
The journeys end more sweet
She was a woman
The attack came at dawn
******, battlefield lost
He felt good
Hand in hand
She let the sea take his ashes
Blowing back against her
The children were playing
The war was over
She was happy.