My Heart

by David McDonald
(Fife, Scotland)

From The Lost Century

My heart is far off in a foreign field;
My soldier boy took it to war
I let him have it to keep him safe;
He said he would return he swore
His life will meet such danger;
My heart will beat for him strong
Every night and morning,
Prayers I say to ensure nothing goes wrong

I dream of him every night,
Feel his fear as he goes into the fight
Such a soft manner and tender too,
How can he kill when he feels it’s not right?
His soul has such depth and emotion;
His warmth would be alien to war
So I had to give my heart to take,
For the fighting I know he will deplore

I can feel his fear within me,
The feelings of disappointment in man
He has been called to fight for his country,
He will do all that he can
Throughout I have the peace of knowing,
My heart still beats strong
For if my heart was to stop,
Then in death to heaven we both would belong