Farewell

Today is the final day of National Poetry Month. I followed NaPoWriMo's prompt of writing a farewell poem, which seems appropriate for a final poem. This poem concludes 30 poems in 30 days, though I'm sure I'll be writing more poetry (and short stories) in the near future.

Farewell 

By Candace Shultz

The date is set.

Soon you'll go.

What we'll do without you,

I don't know.

My heart is aching.

I don't want the time to pass.

I just wish our days with you

Would forever last.

But the weeks move quickly,

The day is near

When you'll board that plane

And disappear

For months on end

While we stay here

Praying for your quick return,

Wishing you were near.

Who will kiss our daughter goodnight?

Hold her close, read her a book?

Who will swing her high in the air?

Without you, there will be no proper cook.

I will do it, but it's not the same.

There will be no one to cuddle with me at night.

No boots to trip over or uniform to hang.

No one to make our bed just right.

Who will I talk to when I'm sad and alone?

You always make my world feel brighter.

I'm not ready to say goodbye.

Hold me longer. Hold me a little tighter.

Just know that when you're gone from home,

Two people love you: your daughter and your wife.

And when you finally return to us,

We'll be waiting, happy with you in our life.