I give you the flowers
    of war
         to hold –
to keep
    until I return.
Time which you will
    either hand them to
                                   me
... to smell their sweetness...
or forever
give to me
    by placing them on
      my
         grave.
How ever I come
    back depends
                        not
upon the fortunes of war
but
solely on the
           strength
     of your love for
                           me.
Gently care for the flowers,
             precious dear.
My heart desires
    us to savor their
fragrance long after the
    guns of war,
            themselves,
                   have gone to
                                        seed.