Freedom

That sad lament flickering through her day Buried deep, but not deep enough Folded flag, a reminder of the love never returned Death the escape, but still the prisoner Married to the ego Maybe both The beauty queen, ugly inside She heard the words. One ego, that’s a bang. Two egos, that’s an explosion. He would wait for her, he liked the ugly side How did he know the ending She didn’t know, and she was living it The flags, the medals, the shiny crown He threw his in the river, went back to his old life She didn’t understand how he could do that He was part of it They were all part of it She was kidding herself Like the crown that defined her Living on memories Waiting out time She wanted life The war hero’s widow They would put that on her gravestone She began to understand him now He was free He’d won his war Now he was waiting for her to win hers Her own freedom The sun was shining the day she handed the flag and medals to his mum The walk over the bridge would finally set her free The crown didn’t make much of a splash No bang, no explosion Just so much more He liked her ugly side She liked that just fine.