One more day, the doctors told him,
One more day between him and his family.
“Whatever you say,” my great-grandfather replied
With determination fueling his newfound hope.
“Two more days on the battlefield,” the doctor soon added,
“Three more weeks in France.”
“Now just four more months overseas.”
As his journey lengthened by the minute,
‘One more day’ became a cycle not of perseverance, but of lost hope.
One more dive into the freezing English Channel
One more mile walked through Germany’s frosty fields
One more trip back across the Atlantic Ocean
One final knock on his Pennsylvanian door.
A suspenseful rip of an envelope that reads,
“ARMY DISCHARGE: YOU EARNED YOUR FREEDOM.”
One last chance to see his family.
Running,
Walking,
And hitchhiking,
Led the man to his home.
Creaking upon worn hinges, the door opens to reveal
An overjoyed wife and family inside.
“It’s a New Year’s miracle!” they exclaim.
“No,” the man replies, “It was just one more day.”