The Battle and Song

The Battle and Song

A birthday rolls in
like thunder rumbling,
heralding the ominous inevitable destruction,
the process of aging;

Mine's always happy
like a bright parade,
heralding the thundering echoing conquering of death,
a year's battle won;

My Captain led the fight,
my soul's troubadour,
he sang "calling calling calling come and get aboard the train,"
his voice a battle cry;

Alone ~ breathing raging,
his voice all around
became my North and South, East and West, my Compass Rose, my Song;
a lifelong love affair;

These two together
~ the Battle and Song ~
forged in fiery understanding so carefully wrought by Love,
now a birthday present;

"Just a CD," he says
as the gift is small,
yet I hear his love and comfort in the songs my Captain sings,
because he understands;

Most do not hear romance
in Johnny Cash's songs,
but my husband knows that Voice lives on within my heart and soul,
well-armed, I will fight on.

© ACG
23 June 2006