Those 70ish Girls

Just One Pretty Flower

by Mary Francis McNinch

“Put a flower on my grave.” That’s all she asked of me.

“Just one pretty flower that I’ll be sure to see.”

“She never had a chance,” they said. “She won’t make it through the night.

She might have won some battles, but she’ll lose this final fight.”

I tried to say I love you as I stood beside her bed.

She smiled her biggest smile, and this is what she said.

“You know I’ll never leave you, right? It’s really not that far.

Look through all the darkness. Give my name to one bright star.”

“It never did make sense,” they’ll say. “She had little ones to rear.”

“Nothing much that she could do. I know that’s what you’ll hear.”

 I said, “What you did mattered,” and she held my trembling hand.

She saw her Country struggle and she had to take a stand.

There are those who disagree. It’s their right to think that way.

They might not survive tomorrow, but they’ll live free today.

“Tell the kids I love them. Show them my picture now and then.

Tell them where I’m going, but don’t tell them where I’ve been.

I hope the evil can be stopped and we keep our flag unfurled

I gave you all my love,” she said. “My life, I gave the world.”

The last time she closed her eyes, I knew what she would see

Whatever love looks like ..to those who fought to keep us free.

“Put a flower on my grave,” that’s all she asked of me.

“Just one pretty flower, that I’ll be sure to see.”

I wrote this poem two years ago in honor of all the women who have lost their lives serving this country.