Suspense

I was weary,

I was teary.

I looked up into the starry night sky.

My eyes zoomed down the horizon,

Fearing a falling star,

Might bring news not welcome.

Away from home,

My father had gone,

In the battle, a war.

We all prayed at the alter,

For the victory of our country,

For the safe return of our father

And soldiers.

Days had passed, and not a word

Of my dad,

Friends and neighbours,

Running to centres,

For news of their loved ones.

We often heard howling and crying

Of some families receiving the coffins of soldiers arriving.

We huddled, we shuddered at this news.

The suspense still prevailed.

Then, one night, we heard a jeep outside,

We woke up with fright, the suspense was over,

My dad stood there in the doorway, with a smile.

We jumped, we cried and with a leap I landed into his arms. 

The joy, the joy. I smiled.

My dad was home.