My Only Wish Is... Poem by Fiona Mak

I have always been my child’s hero
But being a soldier, I haven’t always been there for him
One day, I was called to the fields to fight
In a war in Vietnam
My child wrote me many letters
But I returned only a few
As the war went on, I was shot in the chest
Eager to make it, just for my child
I fought for my life
But one day, I knew it was my last
So I wrote a letter with my finger,
Dipped in my blood
“Dear wife, dear child,
You know I love you well,
But I’m sorry to tell you
I won’t be home for Christmas this year.”
I called for a nurse
I told her to send this on
To my family
I’m not sure that they got it
But I’m sure that they miss me lots
And my only wish is
To be called a hero again
By my child.