LOSING A GENERATION OF HEROES

Losing a generation of heroes,
one by one,
day by day.
And the world becomes less for it.

Losing a generation of heroes,
who sacrificed their youth
and gave their lives
to keep the world free.
Women giving up husbands,
children,
brothers
for what was right.

Losing a generation of heroes
who built prosperity
through the sweat of their brow,
the work of their hands,
inventiveness of their minds,
and self reliance.

Losing a generation of heroes
who embraced hard work,
family values,
morals,
and patriotism
as the fabric of life.

Losing a generation of heroes,
citizen soldiers, Rosie Riveters,
overcoming a dangerous world
and building a better one
for posterity.

Losing a generation of heroes
every day,
every hour,
every minute,
and watch the world they built
undone
law by law, judgment by judgment,
by selfish people
who never paid the price
who never made the sacrifice
who will never understand
and call their lack of understanding
"progress."

Losing a generation of heroes
while those who remain
cry
as they watch the foundation they built
crumble,
brick by brick,
standard by standard,
moral by moral,
by self-centeredness
and greed.

Losing a generation of heroes.
We mourn for them
knowing
the world will never be the same.

©Copyright July 2003 by Richard W. Reith

"Losing a Generation of Heroes" is about the dwindling number of WWII veterans and families that lived through that War, and the demise of the world they built.