Never Forget, An Eagle’s Tribute
May 31, 2007
Never Forget
Submitted by an IL Eagle
I walked among the falling snowflakes today and met a soldier at Valley Forge. He held his musket in his bloody hands; he stood barefoot in the snow, starved from a lack of food, wounded from months of battle and emotionally scarred from the eternity away from his family-surrounded by nothing but death, carnage, and war.
He stood tough before me, with a bright fire in his eyes and the air of victory on his breath. He looked angered and disgusted as he said these words to me,
- I gave you a birthright of freedom born in the Constitution and now your children graduate too illiterate to read it.
- I fought in the snow, barefoot, to give you the freedom to vote; yet you stay home if it rains.
- I left my family destitute to give you the freedom of speech; yet you remain silent on crucial issues because it might be bad for business.
- I orphaned my children to give you a government to serve you; yet it has stolen democracy from the people.
- How easily you forget! It is the soldier not the reporter who gives you freedom of the press.
- It is the soldier not the poet who gives you the freedom of speech.
- It is the soldier not the campus organizer who allows you to demonstrate.
- It is the soldier who salutes the flag, serves the flag, and whose coffin is draped with the flag that allows the protestor to burn the flag!!
- How easily you forget! The names of those who stood beside me, who have come after me, who are coming to me now.
- It is the soldier, who in his duty and honor, gives you the freedom to be free!
He glared at me for a moment or two, while his breath hastened to ease; A single tear slid down my cheek and his heart began to bleed. I walked slowly up to him and placed my hand upon his wound. His blood drenched my skin and I shook with tears and guilt while quietly he whispered, “Never forget!”
I raised my head and whispered back, “I never will!” …to the headstone on the grave that read, “Here a soldier died so you could live.”
GOE proudly salutes the men and women who have so valiantly fought to protect our country and our freedoms. To those who have served and are serving, we will never forget.
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BRAVO!!!!
Amen!
What Deputydan says. I have plagiarized your excellent piece and sent it in as a letter to the editor of my local rag. I hope people are as moved by it as I was.
Cheryl
May God bless those and theirs that fought the good fight that we may live the good life!
This is very true. We pass it from generation to generation and it seems only a few take the touch and carry it. Freedom is precious and not free.
Stephen R. Dodimead
I would love to send this to every member of the US Congress because, in my opinion, none of them remember our heritage; rather they are disgracing America’s proud heritage and all those that died to preserve it. The current US Congress sit like “Royalty” upon a throne; they look down upon the American people in their “in your face” arrogance all for their own ambition, egos, power, and greed.
God bless America’s patriots past and present.
Muppet: the beauty is that we CAN! There’s simple button to find addresses for your state’s reps. Simply cut and paste this beautiful peice of work and send it off. If EVERYONE does that, with a little note on the end, perhaps it will move at least a few of them to rethink their political gaming.
Come on all…..EAGLES UP!!!
[...] are no words to describe the feelings that well up inside, so without commentary, a cross post from GOE: Never [...]
I’M STANDING AND APPLAUDING. SHOULD BE REQUIRED READING IN SCHOOL. DO THEY EVEN HAVE “CIVICS” IN SCHOOL ANYMORE? GUESS NOT. TOO MANY LIBERALS.
THANK YOU IL EAGLE , YOU MADE MY DAY
I hope my keyboard is waterproof!! I read this just after learning about vandals destroying the decorations that had been placed on veterans’ graves at a cemetery in my (and Larry Bailey’s) hometown. Thanks IL Eagle! Your inspired and inspirational piece will be posted on the bulletin board at my office and everywhere else I can find to put it.
Fair Winds and Following Seas. Anchors Aweigh, Shipmate.
This touched my heart deeply
TO JIM BRIDGES & CURT DAY: I WANT YOU BOTH TO STAND UP , FACE YOUR FLAG, AND REPEAT AFTER ME. YOU DO HAVE A FLAG DON’T YOU? OH, CURT THAT ALTERED FLAG DOESN’T COUNT BUDDY. WELL IF YOU DON’T YOU CAN COME TO MY HOUSE. I ALWAYS HAVE ONE FLYING. PUT YOUR HAND OVER YOUR HEART AND TAKE YOUR HAT OFF IF YOU’RE WEARING ONE. OK NOW REPEAT AFTER ME.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION ,UNDER GOD , INDIVISABLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
EAGLES UUUP!!
Everyone,
I am so proud to read the comments you have posted. I have a confession; I was hesitant to post this poem because it is something I personally wrote about ten years ago when I visited the battle site in Virginia.
I thought that perhaps it would inspire others to begin to comprehend on a small level, if not completely, what a soldier does for the American people. I never thought that it would encite so many emotions and inspire so many others.
Thank you very much for allowing me to share this piece with you. I will continue to share more in order to inspire and motivate.
Thank you again!
Eagles Up!
Gabi,
You have managed to touch our hearts. Please never stop writing and never be embarassed.
Thank You
DanNY
Gabby….you really should publish tissue alerts with these. Thanks for saying what we all know is true, we are here because others were willing to take the risks and give their lives for us. We have a duty and a responsibility to make sure that the gift they have entrusted to us is never taken for granted and always defended.