An Elegy

When he went away for the last time
 it wasn't so easy, words were hard to find
 and the cows in the barn knew it was milking time
 Must of been real hard to leave everything behind,
 over there a moonless night shivering a secret fright
 It wasn't so easy.
 And how many missions more, where to and what for?
 Ask the government, tell it to the cows in the barn
 Then there was the moon, what did the moon see?
 Saw the blade of grass in one boy's eye
 and pain that'll make you glad you're dying
 Hands that dribbled the basketball
 Voice that sang out of tune
 Love that ended too soon
 A nose that bled for better reasons.
 When he went away for the last time
 it wasn't so easy, words were hard to find
 and the cows in the barn knew it was milking time
 It was milking time but he was so far away,
 so far away that even prayers could not reach
 So he died there.
 When he came back for the last time
 it wasn't so easy, words were hard to find
 and we buried him before it was milking time
 The preacher said it was all right, the Lord is my Shepherd
 but I shall want to know why.