Sanity

Under the tree she stands, tears rolling down her cheek
She stares intently at the clouds, as if they held the answer
Searching for just a slight glimmer of hope
To hold onto her sanity, if nothing else

Her mind wanders back to a happier time
<sub>A little girl with ribbons in her hair
Trying to imitate everything he did
Begging for piggyback rides

Her favorite thing was listening to him sing
Watching him play his guitar
He didn't like the sound of his voice
She thought it could make deaf men hear

The music he played was simple, but lovely
The sweet chords and his beautiful harmony
His songs painted pictures inside her head
The ugly world they lived in melted away when he played

Later, as he stood before her in his uniform
Her heart swelled with pride at the sight of him
He kissed her nose and promised to come back for her
It was the only promise he ever broke</sub>

Now, standing under the tree, the little girl is gone
The ribbons no longer adorn her hair
Her eyes hold the sorrow of a hundred years
And she struggles to keep her screams inside

She comes down from the clouds and into reality
The preacher is done and says one final prayer
Everyone leaves, files out of this place of sorrow
Everyone leaves, except for her

She clutches the last piece of him she has
The guitar that, in his hands, was magical
She sits down beside him and plays the songs he once did
Her voice floats up above the trees, the clouds, and rings out clear

It seems as though the world hushes to listen
To hear her final tribute to the boy man who shaped her life
She stands, and manages her last goodbye
"I love you big brother"