To Rosie – On the Eve of our Departure from Cabantuan __to? (Oct 10, 1942)
Well, Rosie, Dear, it’s been some time,
Since I’ve written to my girl
I hope this writing isn’t a crime –
So I’ll give it another whirl
As i wrote to Leonard yesterday
We’re going to leave here soon,
But just before we shove away
I just thought I’d like to “spoon”
I’m sure you realize these day
That I would like to say more
but our limitations are such always
That writing is quite a chore
But nothing can keep me from thinking of you
No matter where I may be
For you and I are pals good & true
from time – through eternity
I guess that you would be surprised
By the things that I remember
(Many more than you’ve surmised)
– From January to December
So many so-called little things
that i had almost forgot
That in my mind there constantly Springs
A new purpose – believe it or not.
So I’ll just regard every day & hour
When I am with you three
An opportunity to “devour”
the best there can be
Never again shall an hour or day
Be commonplace or trite —
You must believe me when I say
That I have a fresh new insight
So – as hard as this thing is for all
It must be good for us, too
So I am praying – whatever befall
that to the best – I’ll be true
For I know that you are playing the game
As you have – for all these years
And I’m sure the boys are doing the same
And it helps to allay some fears
If I could only be real sure
That you guys are really all right
This would be easier to endure
but we’ll carry on the fight
Rosie, Dear, you know full well
You’ve always been my own
But I do not hesitate to tell
You how my love has grown
But since I cannot tell you now
I’ll knock off for this spell
I hope to tell you soon and
- and how
!
In ways we know so well
So, so long, honey, until then
–the day we long to see,
When we can really live again
–our own little family.
