In Memory of Those who Fought and Died
The day the tears dried on your loved ones' faces...
The day those men in uniform carried your casket
to your last resting place - instead of you,
carrying your fallen and wounded comrades...
The day the flowers were laid on your grave,
with your name, rank, service number and
branch of service...
The day that you did not hear the 21-gun salute
were fired not towards the enemy -
but in your honor in deafening silence...
The day the solemn sound of the bugle
was heard once and for all - in your name...
by your friends, comrades-in-arms, relatives
and mourners you did not even know...
The day when they folded the flag
neatly on your funeral service,
then given to your grieving mom and dad,
your spouse, your son, your daughter,
your only brother or your only sister...
Was the day - the beginning...
you were forever remembered!
You are not forgotten and never will,
my buddy...my comrade.
As long as the stars and stripes,
fly proudly in every school, in every
town, in every city, in every porch
in each and every 50 states
...you will be remembered because
you are part of that flag.
Yes, you are even part of those
who abuse and misuse this so-called
precious freedom that you have died for.
They, too, are indebted to you.
The freedom we have now -
we may not cherished were it not
for your bravery, patriotism and the lives
you sacrificed to fight it with.
Freedom to argue; freedom to complain;
freedom to whine; freedom to protest
and demonstrate; freedom to vote and
not to vote, freedom to elect our leaders
and damn them too; freedom to burn the flag -
Let them be!
That is what real freedom is all about.
America will always be a great nation,
today, tomorrow and forever...
because of you.
To those missing in action -
we await them in our prayers
and in the pages of history.
We may not have parades nor
memorial services for them,
but they will always be living memories
to us all.
We share the grief and the pain
of their loved ones. Lest we forget,
we are free today because some men
and women in uniform are still missing.
We all miss you and forever owe
you for this freedom!
Let the whole world know
we are proud of you...
the huge monuments,
the endless granite walls engrave
with your names, all the memorabilia
of the World Wars and other conflicts,
all the books, the news and
media coverage, the touching poems,
and literary pieces telling the next
generation to the next how you fought
valiantly with every dropp of your blood
are not enough to keep your memory...
alive!
Combined all these, there is nothing
bigger and monumental, nothing more
important than living in democracy
in this land of America.
Proud to be perpetually free!
Don Allan Dinio
http://www.poemhunter.com/
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