Memorial Day

This isn't really a poem; just something I wanted to share.

"I come to this magnificent house of worship tonight,

Because my conscience leaves me no other choice.

A true revolution of values will lay hands on the world order and say of war:

This way of settling difference is not just.

This business of burning human beings with napalm,

Filling our nation's homes with orphans and widows,

Of injecting poisonous drugs of hate into veins of people normally humane.

Of sending men home from the dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped and psychologically deranged,

Cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love."

-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

 

   The common saying goes, "We should remember our soldiers for protecting our freedom." Well, why don't we remember them not only for that, but for the torturous hell that they have gone through in all of our country's wars. Why don't we put ourselves in their place and therefore truly appreciate what they've done. Many of them don't go into the service simply to "protect freedom." They do it to give themselves a purpose, and that they have done so very well. Instead of just grilling out and having fun during this time, lets also remember them this way. Remember the fathers, sons, uncles, grandfathers, brothers, and everyone else that never made it back home to see their family, to see their new born child, to see whatever they may have fought for.

 

War is unjust, unclean, unclear, and pure hell.

 

Reviews

[Kayla K]

Thank you for writing this and bringing that topic into light. Also please remember on this day not only those that lost their lives in war, but also please consider this. Suicide is a huge factor in the deaths of soldiers. It's becoming frequent for on-duty soldiers to commit suicide, and in America, if a soldier commits suicide, the family of them doesn't even receive a condolence letter. 20% of the U.S.A.'s suicides are from war veterans, sometimes because they don't get the services they need from the VA.

There's so many sides of wars that we don't even realize. We're oblivious to so much, which is what this piece says. Thank you.

[papillon afflutter]

Thank you for realizing so much about war does to the people who served our country and those that waited back home. The vietnam aggression was played out during the draft, when young men had no choice but to go to war, and it was the most vile because government tested weaponry and chemical warfare on our men and women. It was unnecessary because we left US sypathizers to die when we left the country in ruins. We lost the war!

[☯]

I think you've made a really clear point in this write. First, I loved the quote you put at first. Martin Luther King Jr. was a living icon and role-model to us today and for centuries to come. He speaks the calming truth and love that embraces our country. The veterans that fought for our country are more than just "soldiers" they are husbands, sons, uncles, and dads. Those who risked their life, their family, for something as cruel as war are truly the bravest of all. Your write here, reminds us of the importance of the love and support we must give to those fighting for something more than freedom. A loud and powerful message you've written here. Stunning job. :)

[Aleyah]

this has a lot of really awesome, introspective points. I really think it's awesome that you took time to think about what we should be thanking soldiers for. Amazing :)

[Alicia Hirshey]

Thank you for writing this. My brothers, My father and my grandfather are all soldiers. My Grandpa won't even bring up the Korea. He refuses to believe that he took part in it. I have only asked him once and I could see the terror in his eyes and I didn't know if he was having a flash back or if he was just doing it to scare me. My grandmother told me that he woke up in tears until the day that he died because of what he saw and what he had done. And for what? For us. My mom says that she can remember grandpa coming home from war and instead of being welcomed people spit on him.
My brothers are all overseas. I haven't seen my oldest brother in 8 years. 8 years. I wouldn't even know what to say to him if he were to come home today. There are times when he calls and I cry on the phone with him. His wife took the kids and left him because he has been gone so long. There are even times where the military goes into lock down and I don't hear from him for months.
Thank you again for bringing this to light.

[hopelove]

this is very good i love it