Memorial Day - Thank You

Days come; days go
This one's special, that I know.
We sit, stand, lie in cloudless sky
And if in moment's thought we find,
Some peace and pleasure in this kingdom,
We might think of those who fell,
Who fell for the cause of freedom.

Men and women, they were all,
Marching, moving, running tall
Cross fields and valleys, brooks and pasture,
First excited with the game
Of pursuing those for shame,
Who would our land and freedom claim.

Then there came that fatal shot,
And Danny died on the spot.
"Keep on!" urged the sergeant, turning
Then he, too, felt a searing burning
And fell and died right there,
And suddenly the battle fair,
Turned ghastly grim - and despair
Changed eager running faces
Into frightened souls looking for spaces
From the running mob to hide in
So they themselves would not be died in.

The romance of war came and went,
Now there was no merriment.
And the future black and blank
Were ourselves in the waiting....

Waiting for those mens' restore
To take their arms and fight some more,
No longer for some glorious game
But fighting for freedom
That we might see
When we were born, the light to be.

Today we thank them always
For the lives they gave...
For those who died too soon,
So we could see the sun, the sea, the moon,

We salute you fallen ones...
May our lives be not wasted
At the cost of death you tasted.
You live in memories
In our heart
And when our turn comes to part
From this earthly life,
You'll meet us there,
And we'll be all
Strong and fair, free and tall....

Thank you.