Goodbye My Son Poem by Grace Burke

You came into this world with a healthy, lustrous cry
This wonder of a little boy, my handsome little guy
This love I had for you as I nursed you at my breast
Filled my heart to overflow as I held you to my chest.

As you grew you learned to walk, learned to talk and toss a ball
I was there to cheer you on, pick you up when you would fall
You use to love to cuddle as the day turned into night
Everything was perfect, everything was right.

The years went flying by, the school years came at last
I thought that I'd be happy, but I yearned to have the past
I missed my little buddy who'd thought mommy was the best
Now his world held many friends, I was jealous, I confess.

The school years came and went as quickly passed the time
My little boy was now a man, he was no longer mine
He vowed to help his country, to try to make things right
So he joined the U.S. army and went away to fight.

I now stand by his graveside, he shall no longer roam
He'll never walk this land again, he has finally come home
My little boy, my buddy, who was only twenty-five
Why did you have to leave, why did you have to die.

A part of me is lowered into that dark, dark grave
I wish that it was me in there, I wish that you could stay
My tears of sorrow flow for that part of me that's gone
My heart is filled with anguish, for my little boy I long.