no return war

Here are the first, third, and fifth stanzas of “no return war”:

when I didn’t come back from war my family grieved

they held onto hope

that my missing wasn’t a departure

that my missing was only regret to inform

whereabouts unknown

my family went through my belongings

my photos

my clothing

my mementos:  foreign stamps, coins

we don’t always know the people closest to us

my chaplain tried to help

but it’s something a family has to do

they all wondered about the small wooden box

metal hinges

a simple lock

silk lined

© 3 July 2020

Cindy B. Stevens

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