An Ending Never to Be

Once in a while; Well, maybe a bit more often,
I find myself reliving those moments of first sorrows-
The first results of a day gone bad-
A night with an ending never to be-
You remember that day? That night?
Those faces? Those tears? You do remember them; don’t you?
Or is it just me that can’t throw away all those used up
memories-
One would think by now, they could be discarded, without
ever looking back-
But do we dare? Should we even try? Should we want too?

Each year as that day approaches, I promise myself I’ll
just let it go on by-
But then, here they come- Rising up to the top-
Overflowing. Flooding the cavity of my heart- My soul-
And I ask? Who am I to try and bury those I never knew-
I have not that right! I am not my own keeper;
Not on this day.

I turn to recognize much more than pain-
Way more than memory-
It’s a force far greater than I have ever known-
and Still; Still I can hear the battle cries of centuries old-
and the battle cries of years to come-
I know each of them by name- The same name-
I’ve granted them all their entitlements-
Their place in history; Their place within me-
They are now and will forever remain a part of me-
and whether we like it or not- A part of each of us-

No, we can’t forget; Nor should we try; Nor, should we want too.

© Lisa Hilbers
August 30, 2007