Fresh Faced Wisdom

Faces, so young in their captured poses,
eyes grabbing hold of toughened scenery
as the quick-fire flashbulb scatters light.

The Captain's gaze slips, wanders across mines,
Lizzie's waiting in her favourite blue dress,
twirling her pencil, preparing letters,
jotted words of smiling encouragement,
while she sips on silence and cries for peace.
Often, his uniform proud photograph
is smiled upon with her spirit skating,
locket bound is the image, her heart
keeping him safe and sound with precious hope.

He scratches sighs with determination,
bullet notes shattering quiet resolve,
tomorrow never comes in black and white.
There is only this today here: right now
trapping smiles in the grain of other times,
fresh faced cool wisdom is splendidly clicked,
all too soon though it will be forever
hardened by the close scrutiny of death.

The long war is finally over now,
fast-paced feathered years have buried remains,
but still, father's dedicated father
sends his love throughout the windswept ages,
grandmother rocks in her comfortable
chair, humming to the tunes of better days.