26 May, 2012

The Essential Holiday - Revisited



Memorial Day is The Essential Holiday because without the people and deeds it commemorates there would be no other Patriotic, National American holidays.

Heroes are no braver than ordinary citizens, but they are brave for five minutes longer - even to the point of dying.

“The Soldier is also a citizen. In fact, the highest obligation and most solemn duty of citizenship are bearing arms for one’s country while the greatest act of patriotism is laying down one’s life for its sake.”

"Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by those individuals who will freely struggle in the cause of freedom." 

On the final Monday
Of the warming, blooming month of May
Many will pause, and some will recall
Those who ultimately gave their all

This is fitting, and this is proper
And we owe them time; we owe them honor
For the fallen brave do not truly die
No matter how long and peacefully they lie

So long as there are some who don’t forget
To make a payment on this solemn debt
For glory illuminates the soldier’s grave
And beauty will ever cherish the brave.

Let them sleep in quiet rest.
They, our bravest and our best
They fought the fight and bore the scars
All glory is indeed theirs, and the duty surely is ours.

No matter how many years have passed
We must remember to the last
They died for us and for this land
So, we could in this moment stand

And with loud voices raise a cheer
For those who faced and conquered fear
Oh, time and weather kindly spare
These fallen heroes who did dare

To die and leave all us to live on free
And the banner we unfurl over thee.
All honor be thine through future days
Let scrolls and pillars speak fulsome praise

And cruel neglect must never claim the dead
Who bravely fought and ultimately shed
Blood and summoned tears and words say
Thanks on this - the Essential Holiday!

Larry Conley
28 May 2018 
We live in freedom today because brave Americans before us were willing to 'Die Young.' 


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