I lost my brother to a foreign land;
I was too young to even understand
There was a knock at the front door,
then Momma wasn't smiling anymore.

The man at the door was a Marine;
the first I've ever seen.
Momma told me to go out and play,
then the preacher came and they started to pray.

Tears ran down Momma's eyes, and
I heard her say, "Why, Lord, Why"?
Father stood there seemingly mindless, all he said was,
"We've lost another of America's finest."

The Marine handed Momma a small velvet case,
inside was a Purple Ribbon, attached to a gold heart with Washington's face.
I asked Momma if it were mine,
but she said, "It's your brother's, Sunshine."

"Momma can we send it to Kevin?"
She answered, "They don't wear Purple Hearts in Heaven."

Author Unknown