In 2018 I found a poem on Memorial Day by Longfellow. It inspired me to write one of my own. Below is the Longfellow poem and mine follows it. I've included the words in case they aren't clear due to the background.
Memorial Day Remembrance
by Melanie T. Campbell 2018
Ye who sleep beneath the sod,
Whose footsteps on the Earth did trod,
Whose arms held loved ones close and dear,
And never had known a day of fear.
You took up arms to end the strife,
And ran towards the fray in risk of your life,
Courage was lacking but duty called,
You answered in order to give your all.
And give you did on that fateful day,
You danced in the theater as if in a play,
Around you death reigned, but you pressed on,
Dodging stubborn bullets and pesky bombs.
You saw your comrades fall at your side,
But there was no time to mourn the passing tide,
Onward you pressed, a deadly job to perform,
And so you advanced far into the storm.
And then in a moment, with a burst of sound,
Your body lay prostrate on the hard ground,
Nothing was left but to end your rounds,
For you were the comrade that had gone down.
Never again will you walk through death's door,
For your mission has ended, you helped even the score,
Against those who seek to tear, shred, and core,
Anyone they encounter and refuse to adore.
Rest peacefully Dear Soldier,
For your duty has won,
Freedom for all who are grateful,
For your job well done.
