For Family

“Were you in the war, Grandpa?” Tommy queried.

“Yes, I was, son,” he said. “Why do you ask?”

“Mommy says war is bad, she says it’s evil.”

“Yes, son, it is. It’s a horrible task.”

 

“Does that mean you’re bad, Grandpa? Why did you go?”

“It’s hard to explain,” he said, “But let me try”

Hard to defend why the young and the innocent

Rush to a cause where so many might die.

 

“Nobody wants war,” he says with a sigh, “but

Sometimes you just have no choice.

When enemies threaten the ones you love

Someone must stand to give them a voice.

We have to protect. We need to defend

Against those who would take our freedom away.

You’re young and it’s a mystery right now,

But you’ll grow and you’ll understand someday.”

 

He paused for a moment, then softly he spoke.

“I’ll tell you one thing for sure that is true.

You want to know why I fought in the war?

I did it for family.

I did it for you.”