Stay Free

If these hills and fields could talk
Of childhood laughter
Flying kites, riding ponies
Catching frogs
And cutting grass for candy
Gravity had no affect
On weightless joy
Their only song was to be free

Kids became boys
With silver wings and carefree dreams
They had neither silver nor gold
Only salty sweat to honest labor
All their jewels were hidden
In the walls of home
Near where corn
Grows tall in the rain
Their only song was to be free

Boys became men before their time
When darkness came the night’s view
And sleep came on standing feet
When the morning awakened
To smoke and boots in the mud
With dimming lanterns
They stood in paralyzing fear
Their only song was to be free

As their fear turned to salt
They fired at the stars
And the sky came tumbling down
Within the lion’s mouth
They fought like thorn trees
With red wild eyes
Hope was a scroll
Never to be found
They prayed to God
Their souls to keep
Their only song was to be free

As they walked through ashes
The dark bit with metal teeth
And sleep came on standing feet
As dust from their bodies
Flicker in the flames
Some died with secrets
Never to be tolled
How pure can the heart be
When death comes on the open sea
Their only song was to be free

They are keepers of our dreams
All they gave
Will not come back
Now they sleep arms to the side
From the grave their spirits cry out
Their only song is for America to stay free

Roy L. Nave
Veteran’s Day 2020