You moved and maneuvered
through mountains, brought
water, hope, and safety to
people who had been denied
freedoms . .
. of speech, beliefs,
and sleep. Far away you came
close enough to death, or it
came for you, and you went
heroically, nobly on into a
sunset that it might rise
again
on peace, captured or killed
terrorists, bombs
undetonated,
or a country liberated. Your
blood, sweat, and tears have
quenched American fears; the
world has found sanctuary in
you. Nations remember your
name, and their innocent
praise the fact that you came
to save them. You perished
praying for a sign, a song to
sing to sleep, a light to
shine
in your dark place, one last
look upon a loved one’s face
you left behind. We see you,
honor you, know that our
destinies have intertwined,
that they have been aligned
by a truth you upheld, an
oath you took. We lift and
lower flags, sound bugles,
wear memorial dog tags
to salute the life and death
of you. We remember that
you marched, sailed, flew,
that you commanded, and
parachuted too, assailed an
enemy, or destroyed a coup.
You sacrificed, gave the best
of your life, for freedom.
© Latorial D. Faison. All rights reserved.
"The Face of Freedom" was published in Stars & Stripes and Freedom Verse
