This appears in my fourth book Whispers, Tears, Prayers, and Hope |
Memorial They gather in silence Rows of men and women Some in wheelchairs Others with their walkers Old and young Standing shoulder to shoulder Some broken By time And circumstance Each with their own story to tell Donald served with Patton Drove his jeep Across most of Europe Jessie was at Pearl Harbor Watched the first planes fly over Lost his leg later that day Michael served in Korea Was shot five times Before they finally sent him home He said that he’d go back tomorrow But at 72 I doubt there is much of a chance Mary went to Vietnam As a nurse Was shot in the hip by a sniper She stayed for hours with the injured Before she finally got help for herself Bill was injured in Desert Storm The first one At 34 He stands out amongst his elders A reminder to us all War does not discriminate When it comes to its victims He too would serve tomorrow If he only had his legs Before these heroes Young men in uniform present the colors We all share a pledge Whose words were paid for By these and so many others Seven men march to the center of a field Raise their rifles And fire to the heavens Three times each Twenty-one shells in all Fall to the grass at their feet Names are read of the fallen A bell tolls for each one The list goes on as everyone listens A father or brother Some just another man’s friend A special name They each hope to hear After the last name is read Taps echoes across the pavilion Men who stood in the face of horror Try to wipe away their tears Before others notice With a short prayer The ceremony is over Just another Monday for so many A day to kick off their summer For me A Memorial Day I will always remember For on this day I rang the bell for my Father And this simple chime Rings in me still I walk away slowly With an empty shell casing in my pocket Held closely To my heart Ed Roberts 5/29/06 We should never forget why we celebrate this holiday. |