一个普通的美国家庭，母女相依为命，父亲在女儿4岁时应征入伍去了越南，不幸阵亡。80岁的老母一直都没有再嫁。母亲去世后，女儿在整理母亲的东西时，发现了这首母亲亲手写的诗，题目就叫《可是你没有》。语言质朴，却耐人寻味。与其失去的时候痛苦悲伤，不如拥有的时候就相互体谅。爱人之间、朋友之间，多一份宽容，一份理解，一份感恩，生活会更美好，社会会更和谐。

　　记得那一次

    我向所有的男子挑逗

　　来引你嫉妒

　　可是你没有


　　记得那一次

　　我忘记告诉你

　　那个舞会是穿礼服的　　而你只穿牛仔裤到场

　　我以为你必然放弃我了

　　可是你没有


　　是的　　有许多许多的事你全都没有做

　　而你容忍我、钟爱我、保护我

　　有许多许多的事　　我要回报你

　　等你从越南回来

　　可是你没有


　　BUT YOU DIDN’T
　　
　　Remember the day I borrowed your brand
　　new car and dented it?
　　I thought you'd kill me, but you didn't.
　　
　　And remember the time I dragged you to the beach,
　　and you said it would rain, and it did?
　　I thought you'd say, "I told you so." But you didn't.
　　
　　Do you remember the time I flirted with all
　　the guys to make you jealous, and you were?
　　I thought you'd leave, but you didn't.
　　
　　Do you remember the time I spilled strawberry pie
　　all over your car rug?
　　I thought you'd hit me, but you didn't.
　　
　　And remember the time I forgot to tell you the dance
　　was formal and you showed up in jeans?
　　I thought you'd drop me, but you didn't.
　　
　　Yes, there were lots of things you didn't do.
　　But you put up with me, and loved me, and protected me.
　　
　　There were lots of things I wanted to make up to you
　　when you returned from Vietnam.
　　
　　But you didn't.
　                                                      （网摘）