Sunday Morning in August

Purple clouds in the sky as the sun begin to rise

We tried hard to hide the tears in our eyes

Our mouths could not find the right words to speak

Our hearts were weary and our minds were weak

The journey we were on would end with our loved ones gone

Our sons would soon be so far from home

There we all stood in the airport terminal with our hearts breaking

The war so far away was now our children taking

Those proud young men tried so hard to be brave and not show their pain

But their faces grew pale as they were told it was time to board the plane

Fathers and mothers embraced their sons

While wives and children were told the war had to be won

We said our good-byes, gave our farewell kisses and watch them go out the gate

All the loved ones left behind were told we could watch the plane leave,

but we must not hesitate

We all rush to parking deck and climbed to the top floor

The Alabama sun shinned so brightly as we walked out the door

There we all stood watching that big silver plane

As the tears from our eyes began to fall like rain

We all watch the plane fly away in the clouds while our hearts were breaking

The war so far away had now our children taken

        This poem is dedicated to the young men of the 115^th Signal Battalion that left for Iraq on Sunday August 29, 2004 and to their family and friends that were there to support them; especially for my dear sister Cheryl and my sweet Skylar.  May God be with them and their families, as well as the other members of the 115^th. Pray for their safe return.  Valerie Taylor