Sacred Honor - July 4th, 2009

NOTE: The Declaration of Independence ends thus:
"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

How do we stand up – we, who came of age
in eras that did not require our blood?
How do we march today, who did not march
when liberty depended on the ranks
of righteous soldiers? What can we proclaim
to loyal sons and daughters who descried
the certain cancers lurking in our core?
We honor those who fought so we could live
by living well: by trying to be good
and honest stewards; offering this soil
to every seedling; shoring up the kind,
and leaving perfidy no place to hide.
May every martyr on the other side
who came too early to a hero’s grave
regard my life, and tell Eternity,
“This is how I would have lived myself.”