but before you go all mad at me
just remember this, in the land of the free
that your boys and girls have fallen, and are falling still
as we in our corpulence scarf hots and cheeseburgers
heart attack food, giving no heed at how lucky we are that we clog our
arteries while those younger, fall
in sudden deaths, some painfully slow
and we worry about a place to go
and hang our flag and stupify
ourselves as i count 12 packs and cases leaving the local Big M
Memorial Day never felt so sober to me
I cannot laugh and be free
I cannot claim my sovereignty
as part of something great
our boys and our girls
need to come home
and have a hot dog or a beer
so i can hug them close and tell them:
It wasn't your fault we got in this mess
it wasn't your fault you were commanded
it isn't your fault so dry your eyes
you did what your country demanded
I owe you my life not for my freedom
I owe you my life not for theirs
I owe you my life for the blood you've lost
you won't get it back and it's just not fair
Let the rain fall and the wins blow
on this Nation indivisible
may the powers that be bring you Home this Night
and May you Be Safe
it ISN'T your fault
that your memories are charred now
Come home safely, boys and girls
men and strong Womyn
It just plain was not your Fault...
come have a beer with me and try to forget
though I doubt that you ever could
A barbeque of happy times, parades and applause?
instead
~Sing a song of sorrow for the world tonight~\
after your parade
Author notes
Written May 31st, 2004
In a list
A contest entry
- He by DragonDemon.
300 points, ended November 26, 2004, 18 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 16 of 16
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I enjoyed reading this a lot, it is very well written and sends an important message. If only more people could have understood the state of the nation before election day.
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Great job here. i like it. I can feel the sorrow in this poem. Very deep, and we never should forget the sacrifices that others have made. Good luck in the contest.
~Deamon~ -
How quickly we all forget the sacrifices made by others so that we can enjoy this thing we call America. This piece should be a reminder to all of us not to take things for granted and also to support those who have been commanded by our nation to fight in a foreign land, even if they do not believe in the cause. Keep up the great writing.
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Sad but true, very sad but true.
Pb thanks for the cup, I was shocked to see this gold thing
on my page.
just for you.
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Yay.
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great
amazing. -
807 as of this moment, lost forever to the joy of remembering anything, and yet we remember them, sent into a desolate place to accomplish a ridiculous task, on the whims of a few power hungry so called leaders who stay home win war rages.....Godspeed to their fallen souls, and may their families hearts be filled with pride for they died for each other, in the glorious quest of laying down thier lives for another, not for bushes war, but for their brothers and sisters they sacrificed all....peace to you and yours....Artis
Edited on Jun 01, 9:46 p.m. because ''. -
Excellent write Sare - on both an intellectual and emotional level. I won't go into the politics of on here - American / British aggression in Iraq outraged me and this is not the forum to air my views.
I love your vitriolic and cynical attacks on society - always powerfully delivered babes. Its the stark truth ignored by so many.
' An optimist is someone who is not in possession of all the facts '....thinking and excavating ourselves and the world around us always comes with a price tag...you'll know what I mean.
Well written .
~ sonia ~ XXX -
FINE PIECE!
Reminds me of Gregory Corso, and is awesome. The content and phraseology is intense and left me with a grin on my face. Fantastic. FANTASTIC. -
the choices facing america and the world have never been more stark: are we to be this rogue nation the mightiest military power able to invade any nation at will and change their government if we perceive it to be a threat to our continued supremacy or are we to become a good neighbor and take care of people here at home? you have in a somewhat lighter way reminded us of the price we are paying for the current state of our society.
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I owe you my life not for my freedom
I owe you my life not for theirs
I owe you my life for the blood you've lost
you won't get it back and it's just not fair
i love that
it's the best part of the poem to me.
what i like about this poem is that it's message is so true, not just of memorial day but american holidays in general. the same thing happens at the 4th of july....it seems american's like finding reasons to justify having a party. -
you packed a lot punch...
What you said is true and maybe we all should take it to ehart. I don't think the families of the dead are BBQung.
Great Job
Chrissy
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This is a great write. Happy Memorial Day to you all, while I partake in that fashion BBQ.Saddie23
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I understand the sentiment, I truely do... But also remember that a lot of people, even after a funeral, will go somewhere to eat drink and remember that person. It's a day not to mourn the loss, but to celabrate how amazing these soliders were in life. And while I believe in THAT, I believe also it should be done while ALL flags are flown at half mast.
beautiful write... -
Hmm, this piece invokes some very deep thoughts, it does seem stupid to celebrate our freedom with artery-clogging foodstuffs, but that is the way that America celebrates, and you are right. We as a nation should remember our sons and daughters who are fighting for the freedom of another nation as we remember our grandfathers who fought for the freedom of this nation. The holiday requires a balance.
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wow awesome write here darlin.... I underrstand how you feel.
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