THE FADING YELLOW RIBBON

James Michael Taylor

The Fading Yellow Ribbon

There’s a fading yellow ribbon
around the oak tree in the yard
Each day they walk out to the mail box
but even walking’s getting hard
And they’re looking for a letter
that they fear will not arrive
It’s a letter from their soldier
that they fear will not survive
A faded flag hangs on the porch rail
and it floats when there’s a breeze
And there’s pictures on the mantel
of their soldier, over seas
And I hear my grandma crying
in her bed room thru the wall
And in his silent glance Grandpa says,
“You know, she’s speaking for us all.”
And she leans upon my daddy
and she leans against the stove
And my grandpa’s stooping shoulders
is one story that’s well-told
“………..” and their evening news addiction
brings no comfort to their souls
And I am a war resistor
and I’ll die before I’ll kill
and they do not understand that
Perhaps they never will
There’s a fading yellow ribbon
around the oak tree in our yard
I watch them walk out to the mail box
Even watching’s getting hard.

(c) 2007 Royal T Music