As We Soldier for Our Land

Daddy’s now gone and I try so hard to play every day and have fun
But sometimes I get so sad and mad until the day is done.
Then I remember that time will pass and soon he will be here
And I recall the words he said and I squeeze my teddy so dear.

As soldiers prepare to deploy, their children wonder what to do or say, and how life will be for their loved one so far away.

In a three-part poem, Patti Dunne Hunzeker relies on her experiences as the daughter and wife of a soldier to guide children and their parents through the changes in their lives while lyrically addressing a child’s fears as the soldier prepares to leave, the child’s feelings during the deployment, and the child’s realistic expectations when the soldier returns home.

As We Soldier for Our Land offers a three-part poem that reflects on the fears, experiences, and expectations of a child as their loved one deploys to serve their country.