Has to do

Tears of worry on his checks
as he says goodbye for six months
to his son
to his wife
to his mother
to his life

He'll no longer smell the morning coffee
as he rolls out of bed
the sweet smell of bacon
that he can forget

he won't hear "i love you, daddy"
before he leaves for work
and he'll miss his boy's smile
as he tracks in more dirt

He counts the days and hours
and some days the minuets and seconds too
he laces up his boots
cause he knows what he has to do

An email comes in
and he almost breaks down
his little boy got an A in spelling for the first time
and hes missed it now

the shells at his feet mock him
as he does his patrol
he's doing what he has to
so he can get back home

Another snail mail letter
from his boy in big letters
its says "Daddy, I love you"
and he fights a tear drop as he puts it in his pocket

He's doing what he has to
he's trying to make it home
he's fighting for his country
he fighting for his own

the days drag by till he boards that plane
and the tears burn deep
He stands at attention
almost robotic as he speaks

at the gate of the base he races to the front
his little boy stands there with a sign
he stops to read it slowly
"soldier daddy, welcome home."