Monday, May 28, 2012

Happy Memorial Day


Freedom Is Not Free

by Kelly Strong

I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
and then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
He'd stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears?
How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No, freedom isn't free.


I heard the sound of TAPS one night,
When everything was still
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That TAPS had meant "Amen,"
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn't free.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval Recipient and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist

6 comments:

  1. Hi Donna. Thanks for sharing that poem on Memorial Day. As people go out to do whatever it is they will be doing today, I hope they will take a moment to remember those soldiers who have fought for their freedom.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Susanne,

      Thanks for visiting day. I share your sentiments.

      Best regards,
      Donna

      Delete
  2. Love this. My husband served the Air Force for 20 years. It was a good life for us, and I'm grateful for all we learned traveling and serving. I pray we never forget what we have, due to those who served. I posted a couple great pics on my blog today.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Mare,

      God Bless your husband and all military personnel! Lovely blog post at your blog!

      Best regards,
      Donna

      Delete
  3. Beautiful poem, Donna. My brother served in the army during WWII and my husband had a brother in WWII and North Korean War. God bless members of the military and their families.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What an amazing poem, Donna! Thanks for sharing.

    Karin

    ReplyDelete

Thank for you taking the time out to visit with me and to learn about my writing career.

Please be sure to leave your blog address so I can reciprocate.

I look forward to visiting you too.