Miss Ellie's Night Table Drawer-Written in Prose
Letters from Charlie while serving in Vietnam.
Miss Ellie lying quietly across her bed, listens as her night table drawer appears to be whispering, " Go ahead Ellie open me once again
Peer inside at the memories nestled beneath the ivory cross stored away-back-when "
Inside the letters all neatly tied with a red, white and blue bow
Begging to be read once more, like so many moons ago
Letters from Charlie while serving in a place called Vietnam
Remember the day he was inducted to serve our country? Your emotions erupted. You were anything but calm
He proposed that day. You were unsure, so you said, " Let's wait the war will end soon, and I'll wait for you. Our time will come "
The unforgettable day you waved good-bye at the train station was the last time you would see him. A memory you've been unable to escape from
Letters sent back and forth, each reminded you how much you loved and missed him from afar
That's when you began making plans to be his wife when he returned safely after the war
It was not to be. He died in battle in a place called Saigon on the Ho Chi Minh City shore
Your time with Charlie ended as you cried, " Oh Charlie I wanted so very much more "
Somehow you never met anyone who could ever take his place in your heart
You've lived on memories and old faded letters Miss Ellie. Now close your eye's and peacefully sleep, knowing fully well your letters are safe in your night table's enclosed hidden space and from there they will never ever depart.
© 2015 Ruby Jean Richert