I Lay Waiting

Row after row they all look the same Fading white marble with name after name Grass growing slowly, groomed by the week Occasional strangers; other names that they seek Lying in wait, no one seeks my stone No tears shed for me as I lay alone Alone with thousands of souls just like me Thousands who fell for the land of the free A land that I love, and gave all to defend And now I lay waiting for a loved one or friend Loved ones or friends that so rarely stop by Forgotten I lay here not understanding why I sacrificed it all to keep freedom alive My spirit cries out with a plea to survive At least in the memories of those left behind While I lay here waiting, entombed, confined Unable to do much more than reminisce About family and friends and everything that I miss My memory is sharp; my whole life I recall From the day I was born ‘til the day I gave all Thoughts run willy-nilly always through my head My body is wasting, though my mind is not dead But now I am saddened as I lay here alone Waiting for anyone to stop at my stone Earl Parsons Copyright © Earl Parsons 2012