His breath labors,
Yet without pausing,
He pushes himself forward

Carrying leaden legs
A tired body,
He continues toward

A land,
A home,
The place

That had
The one thing
That mattered

Sweat trickles down
At the conclusion
Of his arduous trial

A difficult examination
But one worthy
Of every second
Of every mile

One that
He would not hesitate
To take again
If time reversed its dial

For nothing else
In the world
Can match the feeling
Of seeing that beautiful smile.