Unforgotten

Darkness cloaks the streets;

A fife and drumroll beats.

Firm footsteps march the cobblestone;

Voices speak in silenced tones.

“Give me liberty, or give me death,”

Said countless with their final breath

For freedom dies without death,

Thus heroes fall to f’ever rest.

The waters team with ships,

Ol’ Ir’nsides sways and dips.

The enemy sails in

To freedom seize from men.

Penned in one dire battle,

When they tried our men to rattle,

Was “the land of the free.”

What words of bravery!

The Union once loved,

Now threatens to divide;

Brother against brother,

Do men on horses ride.

Fought they did for union,

Fought they did for freedom.

They did not die in vain,

But in honor shall remain.

Now deep in trenches,

Do lads with rifles crawl.

Shells explode ’round them,

And in death do some fall.

Our country is the proudest

Of those who stood up first.

And though it cost some their all,

Still they answered to the call.

Stars and stripes now fly

On the mountain up so high,

Erected by the brave Marines

The flag of freedom, still she sings.

The greatest generation,

The pride of our nation,

Off’ring all so we might live—

What greater gift could they give?

Shiv’ring in the snow

The infantry now stands,

Complaining? No—

Just waiting for command.

“Charge!” comes the order

And for the last major time,

Bayonets clear the way,

For freedom still to chime.

Now in jungles do boys sweat,

Frightened by what might come next.

Still they fought, still they stood,

They gave their all as best they could.

Exposed were they to horrors untold,

Only to suffer a home-coming cold.

Scorned their gift—how could she?—

For whom they watched their brothers bleed.

Over wastelands bombers fly,

Fire glows ’gainst blackened sky.

Operation Desert Storm:

Still they fight, though tired and worn.

Why do men go on this way?

Why at home do they not stay?

Freedom calls, rings in their ears;

Because they love, they persevere.

Now their home: it is attacked,

But courage still, they do not lack.

They march out, their heads held high

Underneath for’ign desert sky.

This gen’ration stands to fight

May God help them with His Might,

So that freedom may still ring,

And they to Him all glory bring.

THANK YOU, VETERANS, FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

*

LET US NOT FORGET THAT GOD IS THE ONE WHO, THROUGH OUR BRAVE SOLDIERS AND LEADERS, HAS PRESERVED OUR COUNTRY THIS FAR.

DO NOT BE SO IGNORANT AS TO LOOK AT OUR OWN POWER AND STRENGTH.

GOD IS THE ONE WHO RAISES UP KINGS AND PUTS DOWN KINGS, AND IT IS ULTIMATELY BY HIM THAT OUR FREEDOM STILL RINGS.