‘Please take my hand, please take my heart


Please take my hand, please take my heart.

 

Old man told the young soldier in the Fort Louis NCO club. You must die, to learn to live. You must lose everything to appreciate the simple things. Once I held love so damn closely. I knew the smell and odor of her. When love is near and when you live and die inside the words and wishes of another. The sweat and tears of love make you pray for one more day and chance. He looked at the soldier. The young soldier drinking away the memory of his pretty wife left at home. He took the drink away for the soldier.

 

He told him. You are young and you have the right to be foolish. I recommend you add-up the good and the bad. You can be blessed with a woman who love you or you can drink the damn whiskey. Look at me. I decided the war, whiskey and the sin was worth more than a family, a home, a safe place to rest.

 

The soldier asked. I’m so damn angry and pissed-off. I saw too much shit and I cannot think right. I will hurt her and I rather hurt myself first. The old soldiers wrapped his arms around the young soldier and he told him. Bad days and dead friends brought me here tonight. You and I. We will talk this out. The soldier allowed tears and fears to fall. Bartender brought the hot coffee to the table for four hours. The old Vietnam Vet bartender knew the face and the pain.

 

At 1 am. The old soldier watched the young soldier leave for home. He gave him his duty station and phone number. Call me if things are going bad. He told him. Tell her the truth. Cry together, hold on tighter and look at your wife face. Seek some kind of peace in her pretty face and her embrace.

 

At 2 am. The Bartender sat with the old soldier and he asked him. Are you going to follow your own advice? I came home from Vietnam. Drugged-up, hateful and mean as hell. My Mississippi wife held me tighter. She fought to keep me sane. She made me face the things I had done. I remember her telling me daily. Please take my hand, please take my heart. Please don’t leave me. Please Charley come back. Please Charley. Stay with me and we will fight together and defeat the demons. She saved me and I know I was blessed. Please my new friend. Find something beside the taverns and the drink. I have seen many old-timers drink themselves to death. A horrible death my friend.

 

He walked across the street to the NCO academy. The bartender words burn his heart and mind. He was right. The teacher need to be the student. Need to find a sweet woman to take his hands to show him human contact and for his dead heart to rise-up again.

Coyote

Category : coyote poet, coyote poetry, John Castellenas, john coyote, poem, poet, poetry, Poetry and story, story
Tags : , , , ,