Castles Made of Sand

Tiny footsteps were etched through the crystal sand,
As she ran toe to toe; following a helping hand,
And a milky smile was engraved into her freckled face,
As he stood before her - secluded in his innocent grace.

Waves splashed along the shoreline as they stood -
Face to face; and he tried smiling the best he could,
But as she reached out to grab his shaking hand;
She was standing alone beside her castle in the sand.

And she stood talking to a shadow by the shoreline,
As she worked out another flawless design;
Remembering a childhood that she failed to see,
Because he had somewhere else he needed to be.

Gunpowder and lead: it was the life he traded in for,
When he took his army green and walked out the door,
And she watched the sky every night; laying awake in bed,
As she went over possible scenarios in her head.

Days and weeks went by, without a single word;
All she knew was the stories that she overheard,
And she caught her tears in the middle of the night,
As she held her golden teddy bear tight.

And with a bow in her hair, she stands proud today;
As she kneels down in front of the shore to say:
"Wherever you are, I`ll always follow your hand;"
And smiling to the stars, she saw the promise-land.

-Jenna Elphick
August 9, 2007