PICTURES

BY SPC FLINT CHRISTENSEN

I SEE MY KIDS THROUGH PICTURES

IT’S BEEN A YEAR OR SO THAT WAY

I WATCH THEM AS THEIR FACES CHANGE

YET NOT A WORD THEY SAY

MY WIFE SAYS THEY ARE GROWING

AND LEARNING ALL THE TIME

BUT THESE TWO DIMENSION

IMAGES ARE BURNED INTO MY MIND

THEY SAY IT’S ONLY FIFTEEN MONTHS

A STANDARD ARMY TOUR

BUT THAT’S HALF THE AGE OF MOST MY KIDS

A SORROW TO ENDURE

WILL THEY RECOGNIZE ME

AND WILL THEY KNOW MY FACE

AND WILL THEY CALL ME DADDY

COMING OFF THE PLANE IN HAST?

A BURDEN FOR THIS SOLDIER

WITH TORN REGRET I STARE

IT’S SO HARD TO RAISE YOUR CHILDREN

WHEN YOU’RE SO FAR OVER HERE

FOR FIFTEEN MONTHS I’LL SERVE

AND NEVER GET IT BACK

AND RAISE MY KIDS THROUGH PICTURES

WHILE I AM IN IRAQ