what will we be remembered for

By Neil Vincent Scott

respect and honor
    courage and compassion
           gratitude and grace

these i wish for you
as we recognize and remember

those
     whose
          lives
              were
                   lost

in the countless battles of our lifetime

so much death

in the two world wars

            the tragedy that was viet nam

korea

    iraq

        afghanistan

and the street wars and senseless killings

in the cities of our nation

and the war of covid 19

claiming front line heroes

                and innocent bystanders

numbering well over one million

memorial day

     when memories flood the mind

and pain overwhelms the heart

lives lost

          freedom gained

families torn apart by grief

                                        grief that never goes away

fueling the anger that is ever present

and the ongoing war of racism

as we remember george floyd

        killed by the police 5 years ago

and who is continually killed daily

by fascism

         racism

               bigotry and intolerance

in our divided states of america 

please don’t say happy memorial day

           for it is not

           nor should it be

a holiday of happiness

for it’s so much more

       than the start of summer

       than a three day weekend

       than another  paid holiday

take the time

         to show respect and honor

for all we have lost

take a deep breath

          and hold it in prayer

exhaling whatever hope you can find

with vigilance and faith

          and love and kindness

as the journey continues

            through the dark forest of our turbulent times

we are currently carried along

      aboard a leaderless ship

swirling through uncharted waters

while the fat captain plays golf

           lies every time his lips move

           and frequently masturbates

                                      his fragile ego

as we bow our heads

     to hide the embarrassment

                   in the country we have become

hold fast

   to those you love

hold fact

   to truth and facts

     honesty and morality

           and persistent perseverance

for despite the force-fed narrative

the conflict

       the fight

              the tyrany

continues unabated

memorial day

      is but another signpost

and it begs the question

what

   will

      we

         be remembered for

there’s still time

to make a difference

     to be the difference

and there is so much more

        not just to say

                       but to actually do

despite the shortness of our time

fight with action

         fight with votes

                   fight with your voice

fight like hell

fight with your own chosen weapon

fight like your life depends on it

for

     as god is my witness

                   it certainly does       

Neil Vincent Scott is a veteran radio broadcaster, as well as an accomplished poet. His most recent works were published in ‘Wheelsong Anthology 4’ in the UK. His poetry writing dates back to 1979, with his first publication “Midnight Sunshine”.

His latest collection, “The Stained Glass Chronicles” will be published in 2025

Neil is a producer/host at iHeart Radio in Seattle, hosting ‘Men’s Health Matters’ on 93.3 KJR-FM, as well as the national podcast, ‘Recovery – Coast to Coast’. In addition, he is a national sports radio reporter, covering the Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, and the Washington Husky football team. He has lived in Seattle, Washington since 1980.

Contact: neilscottseattle@comcast.net; 206-972-2000

Neil wrote this poem on Memorial Day.