To My Brother
by Lila Broadhurst
Dear brother, you will never know
The pain that stung my heart that day;
When excitedly you sang to me,
That you would be going away.
Not just a little way away,
But o'er an ocean, deep and wide;
I felt that I'd choke o'er the lump in my throat;
And something deep within me died.
I thought of your peal of laughter,
That I might hear no more;
And that twinkle in those roguish eyes -
Of which I was never sure.
Of your talk that was spiced with the hint of a tease;
And that proud swift toss of your head,
That married up to the proudness in me -
A trait we inherited.
With all my heart I wished you well
On that sad parting day;
But a part of me went o'er that sea -
And will stay with you always.