Forget Me Not

Settle in this evening fair,
for not contrite this humble
gift donned of sweet liberty
by purposed men baptized in
blood and cannon-fire.

Forget me not.
Honor prevailed at the
hands of heroes sacrificed
upon your hallowed eve
of independence.

Did dawn not find our coats bled red?
Nay, to contrary,
our coats still bleed blue eternal
upon that crimson field
of sacrificed sons
and lamenting fathers.

Should not liberty
have begotten justice
upon the redcoat
borne of Patriot blood?

Desparate indpependence quartered
no crown in patriot provision then.
Yet, now propagate traitors among us?
The turncoat in contempt haunts me
well beyond my living days.

Shall I find scarlet
upon the back of my son?
The breast of my daughter?
the hearts of my children
centuries hence?

Surely, I returned then,
glorifed in union
...and independence.
Is it not written?

This union I gifted freely to you.
Sired by blood.
bequeathed by bravery.
Defended by honor.

Established by right.
Principled in equality.
Purposed in liberty.
For all men.

Do you know of me
My child, born free
by my blood spilled
these centuries passed?

Do you not remember me?
I was shunned by you;
cast away at your doorstep
by the voice of ignorance.

You have abandoned me;.
my brothers put to slaughter
readily forsaken by you
as you so freely sing in defiance.

You have forgotten me;
blinded by blasphemy
and foolish pride.

Open your door to me now.
Wait by your casement and
sing your sweet lullaby
of sorrow, of sacrifice, and
of patriot sons loved once again.

I have not forgotten you.
I carried the banner of ignorance
for you upon embattled fields
annointed in patriot blood.

Fool am I to have levied your
voice of ignorance for you?
Child, this was my gift to you.

Forget me not.
I am the son of liberty.

Copyright, Kevin V. Reese, 2004

Genius! Period.

I have nominated you for an important honor here on our site, and I hope that, duty calling as it is, you will honor me by accepting it as a gift of my love and gratitude.

I am so grateful to you for being my friend, and my young Padowan.

Your proud and most affectionate Jedi Master,

+Goofball / +Stevo

Semper Fi

(And may the Force be with you.)

Thank you for the short, sweet reply. It was sincerely appreciated. Thank you as well for your endless support over these recent years. You are a true man among men.

Kevin

Experly crafted art. Inspiration from........? Please enlighten us Kevin.

A lot of my inspiration comes from my military background and patriotic upbringing. I come from a long line of patriots literally. Family on both sides (mother & father) have fought in from Patriot Militias in the Revolutionary War, to the Civil War, to WWII, and Korea, etc. Get the idea? I spent 8 yrs in the Marines and further developed my sense of patriotism, and appreciation of freedom through my service. I left as a Sergeant and while I laid down my stripes and walked away after two tours I did not forsake my brothers-in-arms, my patriotism, or our freedom that I pledged to protect. The committment is one that seems all to often overshadowed by masses huddled in protest of political issues. Our committment to our country is a different issue than that of political agendas. Too often people equate military expeditions as political agendas propagated by military troops who simply serve to protect those same protestors. You ask us to give up our lives for you and we say when and where (any political view aside). They are willing to give up their mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, wives, and husbands to protect those they do not know (yes, even those that spit upon them). I find inspiration in the illustrious history of my nation in the face of such adversity and against all odds from our Independence to the protection of unsuspecting, innocent civilians. And through it all we fight honorably, and with dignity (with the exceptional few). I write these poems to pay homage to all honorable brethren that came before me and follow me in uniform.

With all of that in mind, I have written about the Revolutionary War (this one), our Civil War (I will repost one), WWII, Vietnam, the Gulf Wars, and 9/11. So, you ask where my inspiration came from to write this? It came from pride and an illustrious history where "uncommon valor is a common virtue."

Thank you very much for taking the time to read and appreciate my poem. It means a lot to me that you thought so highly of it. If you are interested in other poems of this type please let me know and I will repost them. There are a number of new members that have never seen them.

Warm regards to you always,

Kevin