Of Love And Of Glory Poem by Charles M Moore

I'll tell you a story
of love and of glory
turn back the pages
and go back in time

There was a young girl
in love with a soldier
who went off to war
in the year thirty nine

They grew up together
their love was forever
she had a picture
of him with a smile

They went to the station
on his embarcation
she gave him a locket
of hair in a charm

He told her he loved her
the train pulled out slowly
a fleeting kiss
left on the lips as she ran

On reaching his line
in the year thirty nine
he settled down
with his brothers they say

And at times of rest
wrote his sweetheart a letter
on small scraps of paper
he found on his way

She read the descriptions
of his deep affection
reading each line
with a tear in her heart

And dreamt of the day
when he'd come home to stay
fearing distance and absence
would tear them apart

She would reply
with a poem of skies
and of love and of stars
and her feelings of hurt

With tender endeavour
each word he would savour
and wrap round the locket
he kept in his shirt

In the year forty two
as if out of the blue
missing in action
the telegram said

In anguish and sorrow
and hate for tomorrow
grieved and demented
she wished she were dead

For months she stopped living
she had no more giving
her sweetheart's worn pages
read time after time

Her family consoled her
she cried on their shoulder
but nothing could make her
step out of his time

One day without warning
a soldier came calling
he gave her a locket
from a friend overseas

Who was held in a prison
till fighting had ended
but would now like to meet her
at the end of the street.