Memorial Day, formerly known as Decoration Day is a legal holiday which is celebrated the last Monday in May in most of the United States. Memorial Day has also been called Poppy Day. Volunteers sell small, red artificial flowers as a find-raiser for disabled veterans. The holiday's main meaning is to honor the nation's armed services personnel who were killed in war time. Memorial Day has different meaning to different people. Traditionally the day is marked by parades, memorial speeches, ceremonies, and as the beginning of the summer holidays. Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868 for the purpose of decorating the graves of those killed in the American Civil War.

Freedoms’ Memorial

This day is set aside

to honor those

who took the chance to die.

But they have died in vain

if we ever forget

the reason why.

Freedom can be like time

slipping away

before we even know.

But we all have the choice

more, a duty

to battle freedoms’ foe.

Let us give thanks this day

to all those brave

who paid the highest cost.

Not take it for granted

and realize

it easily could be lost.

Del “Abe” Jones

The Wall

There’s a wall of marble

Five hundred feet long -

Ten feet high, scribed with names

Of those who died, the strong.

There’s more than fifty-eight thousand

Etched upon that stone -

Most of them died so young

This life, they’ve never known.

It’s such a small tribute

To those who fought our war -

Such a small price we pay

To those who gave much more.

Their name carved in a rock

That most of us won’t read -

Not near enough praise to give

For their most gracious deed.

Seems there’s too many of us

Who don’t really seem to care

That we stayed home secure and safe

While they died over there.

Remember when you see that Wall

With all those initials and names

That those men were only pawns

In one more of those deadly games.

Let’s hope what they gave had meaning -

And that peace will always reign -

That we won’t have to send our young

To fight and die again.

Del “Abe” Jones

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe!

To you from failing hands, we throw

The torch-Be yours to hold it high!

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

-Captain John D. McCrae

Taps

"Fading light dims the sight,

And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright.

From afar drawing nigh -- Falls the night.

"Day is done, gone the sun,

From the lake, from the hills, from the sky.

All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

"Then good night, peaceful night,

Till the light of the dawn shineth bright,

God is near, do not fear -- Friend, good night."

Composed By Major General Daniel Butterfield

Army of the Potomac, Civil War

Eulogy for a Veteran

Do not stand at my grave and weep.

I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the Gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the mornings hush,

I am the swift uplifting rush

of quiet birds in circled flight,

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there, I did not die.

Let us not forget...................they served for us! For our freedom, for our peace.

The Pledge of Allegiance

I pledge Allegiance to the flag,

of the United States of America,

and to the Republic, for which it stands,

one nation under God, indivisible,

with Liberty, and Justice for all.

National Symbol

by Charles Evans Hughes

The flag is the symbol of our national unity, our national endeavor, our national aspiration.

The flag tells of the struggle for independence, of union preserved, of liberty and union one and inseparable, of the sacrifices of brave men and women to whom the ideals and honor of this nation have been dearer than life.

It means America first; it means an undivided allegiance.

It means America united, strong and efficient, equal to her tasks.

It means that you cannot be saved by the valor and devotion of your ancestors, that to each generation comes its patriotic duty; and that upon your willingness to sacrifice and endure as those before you have sacrificed and endured rests the national hope.

It speaks of equal rights, of the inspiration of free institutions exemplified and vindicated, of liberty under law intelligently conceived and impartially administrated. There is not a thread in it but scorns self-indulgence, weakness, and rapacity.

It is eloquent of our community interests, outweighing all divergencies of opinion, and of our common destiny.

"Your silent tents of green

We deck with fragrant flowers;

Yours has the suffering been,

The memory shall be ours."

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

War Memories (1941) by J.E.Miles

Silently waiting for their Captains command,

these brave fighting soldiers of second brigand.

There goes the order, they repeat the shout,"Over the top men, everyone out!"

Into the thick of it, a cry of dismay,for many are wounded in this bloody fray.

Battle after battle, takes place all around,

then suddenly it is silent we don't hear a sound.

The battle is over, the victory is complete,

and the remainder of the enemy surrender in defeat.

But what of the dead comrades who died so in vain,

and the wounded soldiers suffering in pain.

The burial squad set forth upon its given task,

such a price to pay for victory, "Is it right,"

we ask? No music nor glory accompanies this chore,

In search of fallen buddies, victims of war.

They went not for conquest and not for gain,

but only to protect the anguished and the innocent.

They suffered greatly and by their heroism

in a thousand forgotten battles they added a

luster to the codes we hold most dear:

duty, honor, country, fidelity, bravery, integrity.

William Sessions, former FBI director and a veteran of the Korean War

Let us not forget our POW's/MIA's

Our Fellow Americans who never returned home.

What I'll be doing Memorial Day

POWS/MIAS Advocates

The Wall

It is the Solider,

not the reporter,

who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Solider,

not the poet,

who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier,

not the campus organizer,

who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the Solider,

not the lawyer,

who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Solider who salutes the flag,

serves under the flag,

and whose coffin is draped with the flag,

who allows the protestor to burn the flag.

An air of stillness overshadows, this final resting place,

Black granite holds the memories, etched deep upon its face.

The names of comrades long ago, we see through eyes of tears,

Now Listen! Hush! Hear! "Whispers from The Wall", through all these years.

How I've yearned to see once more, those smiles of friends so dear.

And once again to feel the joy, their laughter upon my ear;

Distant voices of long lost brothers to my heart bring,

"Whispers from The Wall", Hush! Hear their spirits sing?

I touch their names with trembling hand, the pain etched deep inside,

I trace the lines of memories of friends who for us died.

Where is my name, it should have been, etched too upon this Wall,

"Whispers from The Wall" I hear, "You could not save us all"!

"For you we gave our lives dear brother, to live a better day,

you would have done the same for us", I heard these Whispers say.

"These burdens of guilt for having lived you've carried through each year,

Release them to your fallen friends", "Whispers from The Wall" I hear.

"Did we give our lives in vain, why fill your heart with regret?"

"That you survived instead of us, and this guilt you can't forget?"

"We laid our young lives down for you, you too would have given all;

look in your soul, you'll know the truth," come "Whispers from The Wall".

"Carry our memory with you, as if next to you we stand,

and salute for us "Old Glory", as she waves free above this land."

"With you we walk, be proud, stand tall, we all have done our

part". "Whispers from the Wall", flowing to this saddened heart.

"And live each day as if for two, as though one of us were there!"

"Don't wallow in self-pitying guilt, or anger and despair!"

"We are the best this country has, live your life as such;

if you were here and we stood there, you too would ask as much!"

An air of stillness will always overshadow this resting place,

and names of friends remain, etched on its granite face.

But should you stand real quiet there, Spring, Summer, Winter, or Fall,

Hush! Now Listen! Eternal truths.....

"WHISPERS FROM THE WALL"

by: Brian J. Muegge

The Wall

Have a safe and blessed Memorial Day.......spread the message........remember, salute and honor our vets.

And PLEASE Don't drink and drive!