Memorial Day Parade Poem

Memorial Day Parade
By MKM 5-25-05

She stood there on the sidewalk
With her heart upon her sleeve,
Stubborn and determined,
She was not about to leave.
A sign held high above her head,
Proclaimed for all to see,
Her anti-military stand-with passersby she’d plea:
“End the “war on terror”-pull our troops back out!
Murderers aren’t heroes!” she’d scream and yell and shout.
As fire trucks and clowns passed by, continued to protest, ‘Til there came a
‘Nam vet marching-said, “Girl, we did our best.
My buddy ain’t a hero? He saved ten other men.
He sacrificed himself and he’d do it all again.
My brother ain’t a hero? ‘Cause, Girl, he’s dead now, too.
He died protecting people like your “free-speech” friends and you.
My son is not a hero? He’s serving in Iraq.
There’s nothing I want more right now than just to bring him back You stand
and try to shame the ones who chanced to make it through- I wish that you
could understand, I wish you only knew.”
He held his head up higher,
Feeling proud of those who’d gone,
And didn’t feel her stare
As the parade continued on.