Dear Mollye:—
I have always been happy and carefree
And seldom had cause to complain
My life had its share of misfortunes,
But at least there was solace for pain.
Now the war has disrupted our living
Like each one I’m doing my part
But I must confess from the outset
That it’s done with tears in my heart.
There’s a tear for the homes that are broken
For the sons that are taken away
For the lovers whose vows are still sacred
Though their lives are now lived day by day.
For the threat to our freedom of worship,
To print news just as we please
To speak as our minds and hearts dictate,
There are tears in my heart for these.
Oh, the lives that are needlessly taken
And the blood that’s so wastefully shed,
Small wonder my heart’s overflowing
At conditions this wartime has bred.
But I must think in terms of the future
The time when this chaos is done
When the guns forever are silenced
And the Victory for freedom’s been won.
Thus the threat to our living will perish
In the fire of freedom’s reply
When the boys have returned from the battle
Then the tears in my heart will be dry.
Lt. S. M. Lipstein