Casualties of Love

While guns shatter hopeful dreams

Women cry and young girls scream.

Men look down and ignore their fear

Forgetting everything they hear.

While bombs explode and destroy homes

Bells sing in sad, mournful tones.

At night the moon shines through the fog

And mourners sing of their loved ones through song.

But through all this two young kids of different past

Meet, and become friends fast.

Despite the hate their parents bore

They grew into something more.

They didn't have opportunity, like other young lovers do.

It took them longer to realize that their love was deep and true.

But, as lovers of different circumstance,

Anything they ever wanted never had a chance.

Unfortunately - on top of all - the man was called to duty.

"I have to go and fight, my love. Promise you'll always love me.

Please don't forget my face and heart while I go off to war.

When I get back we'll marry," the defiant young lover swore.

"Yes, my dear," she whispered, as tears ran down her face.

"I will always love you, no matter the time or place.

And though we may grow old and weary, cold, and alone

When I see your face again we'll be young and find ourselves a home."

With determination in his thoughts and her love in his heart

He took his gun and boots and learned war's cruel art.

Sooner than he expected, they called him to the lines.

"Run like hell and shoot your gun, but be wary of the mines."

While he fought his country's fight

He saw and thought, "No end in sight..."

At night, when he was allowed to rest

He realized before he'd see her, it'd be years at best

Meanwhile her parents rejoiced, for he was gone.

He'd been occupying their daughter's thoughts for far too long.

They tried finding her a husband, but to no avail.

Everytime they mentioned it they were met with a soul-tearing wail.

A year went by, and then two, then three

And his words ran through her mind - "Please wait for me."

But finally her parents had had enough

"Finding someone now will be tough."

They brought to her another young man,

This one - her age - was of her own clan.

Her parents forced them to bein to court,

And within a year he longed for more.

He asked her parents for permission to take their daughter's hand

And when they agreed, he slipped upon it a wedding band.

The night after they accepted, they met with her in secret.

They threatened her and punished her for her alwyas resisting.

She cried silent tears as she walked up the aisle

Everyone mistook them for happy tears, and offered her a smile.

She muttered the vows as quiet as possible,

Her heart breaking more and more with every syllable.

Even though he should've been home, her true love kept fighting.

As he'd thought, the war wouldn't end, and more soldiers kept dying.

One night, as he ran out on the lines, a shot rang through the air.

It scraped across the top of his head, cutting through bone and skin, as well as hair.

It wasn't that serious of a wound, they found out later.

But the closeness to the brain could eventually become fatal.

With thanks and goodbyes, they sent him home

To receive medical attention and get his wounds sewn.

He didn't dare to hope too much and refused to believe

Even though he imagined her in his arms - his one wonderful reprieve.

His plane finally landed, and he walked from it in delight.

But, looking around, was disappointed, and felt somehow, something wasn't right.

Days later, the hospital released him, healthy and good as new.

But only one thought ran through his mind, something he had to do.

He had to go and see her, see why she wasn't there.

She had promised she'd love him, promised that she'd care -

He walked up to her doorstep and knocked upon the door.

Seconds later it opened, and what she was holding feel down to the floor.

He'd finally come back for her, despite the many years.

But instead of the joy she thought she'd feel, their reunion was met with tears.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I tried to wait. I still love you so.

But my parents, they forced me to marry - I'm sorry you have to know."

He looked down and saw what she had dropped - a plate, and it had shattered.

He felt that his heart had too, and willed to stop its patter.

He wished that he could die right there, still basked in her sweet gaze.

Why couldn't the bullet have hit him square in the head, instead of a little graze?

Then he could have died happily, thinking that she was still his.

He cursed the person on enemy lines, for such an important miss.

He turned on his heel and walked away, leaving her crying form.

He pulled his jacket tighter around him, but knew he'd never be properly warm.

Not without her with him; he'd never feel right again.

And - on top of that - it started to pour down rain.

He walked to a local park, where a small cliff overlooked a lake.

He began questioning everything, and whether their feelings were fake.

He looked down at the placid water, and felt the rain pelt his skin.

He closed his eyes and her words ran through his mind, again, and again.

Meanwhile she remained at the door, before closing it slowly.

She turned and sank to the ground, feeling her nausea growing.

She knew what she must do, but the thought didn't help.

She slowly got up, with one tiny yelp.

She didn't look forward to what she had to do.

And she didn't have him with her, to help her get through.

She shuffled through her house, crying softly.

How could she ask? She knew what they'd say.

Despite all of this she picked up the phone

And as she tried to calm down she heard the dull tone

Slowly she punched in the numbers to call

But right when they answered, her head hit the wall.

She turned around weakly, holding her head

And turned her back to the wall, which was now stained with red.

Her husband's face was inches away from hers

An anger in his eyes that seemed beyond words.

Until, of course, he snarled in her ear,

"I saw him come by, but you're mind, my dear.

I heard you were in love with someone like him.

Well now I'll make you pay for such a horrible sin!"

An hour later she lay on the bed,

Beaten and whimpering, presumably dead

She flinched as she reached to wipe the tears off her face

And her hand fell back limply, and her tears fell in place.

She had to get up, to get away

But the demons inside encouraged her to stay

She knew to live there, she couldn't survive

Either from heartbreak or her blood running dry.

She cracked open an eye and saw she was alone

And slowly turned over and grabbed at the phone

And finally heard her mom pick up and say hello

And everything spilled out, as fast as she could go.

Her mother listened silently to her daughter's woeful story,

Her fierce understanding of love and friendship growing.

She wanted to help her daughter escape from all her pain.

When she'd been forced to marry, she promised not to make it happen again.

"I'm sorry, my daughter," she finally said.

She pulled the phone away as the other one wept.

"Your fate will match mine," she called to the phone.

"You're too far down to come out alone."

Coldly she dropped the phone onto the hook

And her daughter rolled over as her body wildly shook

She got up slowly, as fast as she could

She had to get away, to him, she knew that she should.

So she picked out a jacket from her husband's closet

And belted it tightly, so it would be sure and fit.

She ran to the door and walked right outside

Amazed at the luck she had just seemed to find.

She tugged up the hood, to hide her face.

Being a woman wasn't good in this place.

But as she walked down the street she started to slow.

Where would he be? She had to let him know...

And then on an impulse she turned to the park

And vaguely realized it was getting dark

And saw a figure, silhouetted against the rain

She ran toward him, but stopped; pain seemed to roll off him like waves.

Tentivaly she walked and put her hand on his arm.

"I love you so much I could never cause you harm."

Her voice was soft, barely heard over the rain

And for the first time he felt happy again.

He turned to her slowly and gaze in her eyes,

To him she was the most wonderful prize.

He leaned forward and took her lips in a kiss,

So wonderful it was, so full of bliss

She wouldn't remember how they got by

Thunder was roaring and lightning tore up the sky

But somehow they ran down onto the beach,

Under the dock and out of anyone's eyes' reach.

And for once she felt comfortable in her own skin,

He stole another kiss and even though it was sin

They laid there, right there, and on the beach made love

The storm had stopped for awhile before they'd had enough.

He gazed into her eyes again and sighed in content

"Dear, I know I love you," and she knew what he meant.

He was getting up to help her stand.

Holding out his firm, warm hand -

When suddenly another crack! sounded through the night.

The bullet came from nowhere, somewhere out of sight,

It punched through his back and into his heart, sudden and so cold

Even before he'd fallen she knew he'd never grow old.

The bullets became merciless and rained down from above.

His body could take no more and his heart had had enough -

With one last gasp he choked on blood, sending her a panicked gaze.

"I'm glad I got this one last time with you, even though life alone you'll have to face..."

She screamed and screamed and beat the sand,

Grabbing hold of his hand

But suddenly the feeling in it died,

And she knew she shouldn't even have tried,

But she dove onto his body and covered it with hers,

The sniper above her never saying a word,

But as if sensing the young man's passing

Stopped shooting and walked off, without even glancing

To see if the girl would dare follow him,

Confront him about how murder's a sin

But she didn't, wouldn't, couldn't even try

Her thoughts were on the young man laying dead by her side.

Footsteps sounded behind her in thumps,

Like a heartbeat calling out, beating a drum.

And she felt hands on the backs of her arms,

Rough uncaring sending her through more harm.

The hands pushed her over, on her back

And her ears were met with a cold, hard laugh

A silver glint flashed though he dark

As a knife flew down, into her heart.

Her feeling stopped and her vision dimmed,

As she focused on the cruel metal's glint.

Her hearing started to fade,

But to her ears his last words made their way -

"Please wait for me..."

Her eyes fluttered shut and she ceased to breathe.

The newspapers didn't find this story too promising.

No one cared about a dead couple's fling.

But one young lady in another town

Dropped the paper as her eyes started to cloud.

The few words said that explained their story,

Was her own love life, put down to a t.

One thing that caught her interest was that they

Found in the woman's body the making of a babe.

The living young lady's hand dropped to her waist,

The small protrusion of her body covered with lace.

Heart beating fast she ran to the phone,

Calling up her lover and not wanting to be alone.

He snuck to her house and they cried softly

About the young couple not as lucky as they.

For even though their families fought,

They hadn't yet been caught.

Solemnly they decided their fate -

This story alerted them; it wasn't too late.

When both parents were distracted and no one was around

They made plans for airplanes and were soon bound

For the great country away, far away from the war

From the fighting and hate, from the wounds still so sore.

Bringing with them the article that was their warning,

A warning to all who sit there in mourning,

If love takes your heart don't let those around you take your mind,

Or happiness you'll never find.

We never remember those who die of old,

Or die normally in a bed soft and cold.

We remember those who died for a cause

Something that should be remembered, a very great loss.

The lovers who died don't want to be mourned.

They want you to consider yourself warned.

A good story is made out of casualties of love -

But love doesn't always have to be rough.

Those that go down in history

Those who care about anyone they see,

Leave us all a way of death we don't have to see

A kind of life we don't have to lead,

If we take the warning of the casualties of love,

Love will be all but enough,

Parents might be disappointed and matches go unmade,

But life won't be lived alone and afraid.

A story is never remembered when it is just there,

People have to learn and have to care,

Love's casualties n'er go down in vain,

Because they show us all what we must do -

- So we can gain.

A/N: Yes I know, long. I think it's about five pages front and back. :) It was written at first as a request, but slowly I got into it. How did you like? Feedback appreciated!