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.