Once We Were Men Poem by James Grengs

Once we were men,
No more-
In killing fellow man,
We invariably killed ourselves.
Once we were men,
But we were changed.
Our goal- Freedom- the happy light,
Our cry- Freedom, equality, for all!
The banner of stars and stripes,
Bathed in red,
Our friends, our brothers,
Fighting,
Dying.
Giving themselves to the Golden End-
Freedom.
Once we were men,
No more-
Our friends, our brothers,
Now lost forever,
And so,
We lost a part of ourselves.
Once we were men,
No more-
Now we are changed,
Through
Fire,
Flood,
Foes,
Death.
Once we were men,
No more-
Now we are heroes.

(dedicated to all the heroes, past and present, who defend our
nation's freedoms.)