The Last Walk

Two old fathers met on a dusty trail, 

With rusty smiles and their spirits hale. 

Their sons served the nation with pride, 

That faces of these men could barely hide.

The sons, up in the skies so high, 

Flew with honor, proud to fly. 

But down below, these fathers found 

A friendship new, on common ground.

One spoke of his home far away, 

Of fields he’d left and the price he’d pay. 

The other man chuckled, his voice soft-spun, 

Finding joy in every setting sun.

They laughed at jokes, they swapped old tales, 

Two weary souls sharing unseen trails. 

Yet as the walk neared its end, 

One said, “I leave the day after, my friend.”

The other’s face fell, his heart sank deep, 

The news hit hard, too heavy to keep. 

His smile faltered, his laughter died, 

As emotions he tried so hard to hide.

“How can it be?” he whispered low, 

“We’ve just begun this path, you know.” 

The silence lingered, sharp and cold, 

As both men felt their hearts grow old.

They walked on, the twilight dim, 

But joy had faded, the world seemed grim. 

The man who’d stay fought back his pain, 

While the other spoke of home again.

But something shifted in the quiet air, 

A truth too deep for either to bear. 

For as they passed the final bend, 

The man who stayed made one last amend.

“I’ll miss you,” he said, his voice sincere, 

But the other man paused, a distant tear. 

“I won’t be back,” he softly sighed, 

“My son… my son… he’s already died.”

The man who’d stay froze in place, 

Shock etched deep upon his face. 

For all this time, with every cheer, 

He hadn’t known why the other was here.

He came not to visit, not for a stay, 

But to mourn the boy who flew away. 

The silence thickened, the evening still, 

The air so heavy, it bent their will.

And in that moment, they understood, 

That time was fleeting, and life never stood. 

One had come to leave behind his grief, 

While the other had found a new belief.

Their friendship, though brief, was more than just, 

Two old men wandering through dust. 

It was a bond that bridged the sky, 

Between the living and those who fly.

The twist of fate had sealed their tie, 

Leaving one to wonder why. 

For some goodbyes aren't just for now, 

But for those who’ve left us, anyhow.