Daddy I Miss You

To my father PFC Melvin Fay Darbe (Army Air Corps)

I look at the photo of you and Mom,
standing with your arms around each other,
you were dressed in your uniform--
a PFC in the Army Air Corps--
and Mom in the style of World War II.

You were stationed--
at what is now--
Nellis Air Force Base
in Clark County, Nevada.

I don't remember
you ever talking about
your war experience,
but I do remember seeing
a purple heart
and a pair of wings
that Mom said belonged to you.

Daddy,
I missed so much of your life,
I missed telling you
how proud I am of you
because of your military service,
and I missed saying good-bye
when you died in 1998.

Poet's Note: ▶︎

Line Count: 23
Form: Free verse
Written for "Honoring Our Veterans - Challenge" .