She cracked another of the pale brown eggs
Into the worn silver bowl,
Whipping the froth for the pie.
"Go set the table now dear,"
Mother said to me.
I did as I was told...silent...
Serving the cause
In my way.
My father walked in just as I
was placing the forks
"Did you wash your hands?"
he asked me.
I nodded, and folded the napkins
just so.
He stood at the head of the table,
my father.
And I returned to bring in the potatoes.
Mother brought in the piping
hot green beans,
The rolls and the gravy came next.
The beautiful golden turkey was last
To grace the long, cloth expanse
Of our personal banquet.
We all sat down to the table then;
Mom at one end
My Dad at the other,
And I, in the seat I had occupied every
Evening at six since as long as I could
Remember.
And we all bowed our heads.
And my mother then prayed.
She blessed all of us,
The food, the day, and
Thanked God for letting us be together.
I looked to the empty seat next to me.
I wanted to cry, to shout to God
"Why...how could you let such a thing happen?"
But again, I stayed silent,
Serving the cause
In my way.
My mother finished the prayer
And we all looked up
At each others' blank faces.
Mother looked as though she was about
To collapse in pain.
But she forced a smile
And passed the green beans,
Serving the cause
In her way.
My father cleared his throat
As though preparing to make a speech.
But all he did was what he always did
Each Christmas; commence
To carve the turkey.
Silently, perfectly
He carved the sacrificial bird,
Serving the cause
In his way.
We would have been saving
The drumsticks for Susan.
She loved the drumsticks.
Not this year, for she would be absent.
The war had been over for two months now,
But the pain might never leave any of us.
For with it had gone the life of a girl
Barely out of college.
She was going to be a great musician,
I know...studying Bach and Wagner
With such love, and respect.
She had much the same for this country;
Love and respect for all its diversity.
She seemed to look at life that way.
She did. We missed her.
So, we sat, we prayed, we ate
In silence...
For we all knew Susan had left us,
Serving the cause
In her own way.
