They come from
Different towns
In different states,
Each called
By a sense of honor
And a desire
To make the most
Of their lives;
They lose their hair
On their first day
At "camp,"
And their innocence
On their first day
Of battle;
Some
Will lose their lives,
While others
Will lose their minds,
All will lose
A bit of their humanity
When they face
The enemy's fury.
On this sunny Sunday
As we celebrate
Our independence
And our freedom,
I think of all
Those men and women
In the air,
At sea,
And hunkered down
In the sands
Of foreign lands,
Eating their MRE's
While they defend us
From those who
Are so determined
To destroy us;
And I send
A quiet prayer
And "Thank you"
Winging their way
Before joining my family
And my friends
At the picnic table
Laden with food
And bedecked
In patriotic splendor.

c.2010