Richard W. Reith

LOSING A GENERATION OF HEROES

Losing a generation of heroes,
one by one,
day by day:
And the world is diminished by it.

Losing a generation of heroes,
who sacrificed the prime of their youth
and gave their lives
to preserve the freedom of those left behind.
Women giving up husbands,
children,
brothers,
for what was right – and honorable.

Losing a generation of heroes
who built prosperity
through the sweat of their brow,
the work of their hands,
inventiveness of their intellect,
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,
Prevailing over a perilous 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 self-serving 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 them
knowing
the world will never be the same.