Remember the day it started,
All the shouting, confusion and fears?
The families and friends that were parted?
Remember the sorrowful tears?
Remember, surely you heard it,
The cries of the fallen foe?
Remember the field deserted,
The screech of the circling crow?
And can you remember the letter
To his wife the dying man wrote?
Try to remember the cold, dark blood
That fell on the envelope.
Remember the gasping young soldiers
Issuing prayers with their last breaths?
Remember the grieving young women
As they learned of their husbands’ deaths?
You say, you cannot remember?
Oh yes, I’d completely forgot.
You were born when all this was over
And thus can remember it not.
Yet there is one thing you can remember,
Though we’ve had it for not many years,
The freedom, peace and prosperity
That was given through blood and tears.
Remember, my friend, remember.
Though the dead you can’t recall,
On that special day, please remember
To say a prayer for them all.
©1967 Jim Hagarty
