Memorial Day is more than a date on the calendar. For the military community, it is a sacred pause — a time to remember those who laid down their lives in service to our nation, and to honor those who continue to serve with quiet strength. The freedoms we enjoy were not born of ease, but forged through sacrifice, courage, and an unwavering commitment to something greater than self.
This poem is offered in remembrance and in gratitude. It is for the fallen heroes whose stories are etched into the soul of this country, and for the men and women who still wear the uniform, standing watch over the legacy they helped build. May we never forget the cost of freedom, and may we always cherish those who protect it.
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The morning breaks, a silence deep and vast,
Where freedom breathes, a shadow from the past.
A cost unspoken, etched in silent stone,
For liberties we claim, a harvest sown.
We stand on ground their silent valor bought,
A nation’s breath, by sacrifice hard-fought.
The wind that whispers through the sunlit trees,
Carries the echoes of their final pleas.
They laid their youth, their laughter, and their dreams,
Into the current of life’s rushing streams.
From distant lands, where dust and dread align,
They built the bulwarks of a future fine.
We honor them, the fallen, stark and true,
With lowered flags and skies of solemn hue.
Each name a star, in constellation vast,
A promise held, forever built to last.
The bugle’s call, a tremor in the air,
For phantom steps, that once had trod us there.
We see their faces in the fading light,
Guardians of dawn, who braved the endless night.
Their sacrifice, a path for us unrolled,
A story whispered, brave and fiercely told.
But more than grief, a deeper truth we hold,
For those who walk, whose stories still unfold.
The ones who carry scars unseen, unheard,
Whose silent battles linger, every word.
The weight of memories, a constant plea,
For comrades lost, across the land and sea.
We cherish them, the veterans, strong and bold,
Whose living presence, courage can unfold.
Their wisdom gleaned from fires fierce and bright,
A guiding beacon, through the shadowed night.
For in their eyes, the history still gleams,
The cost of peace, and freedom’s fragile dreams.
So let us hold them close, with grateful hand,
The living pillars of this promised land.
And on this day, beneath the open sky,
Remember all, who for our freedom, lie.
And pledge anew, with hearts both soft and brave,
To honor truth, the liberty they gave.
Written By: HelpVet.net
Photo Credit: Canva
