Memorial Day: An Uncommon Perspective

From her bed, a young girl strains to hear,
Parents deliberate in solemn, hushed voices
Father chokes on words too painful to utter
Mother desperately implores a gift of time or moral recourse

In this dark of night, the girl senses grave reality looms
Her heart is heavy, her breathing shallow
Monsters under the bed are formerly real
Relentless in pursuit, they come for her

Mother sobs uncontrollably, yet grasps,
Letting go to be bittersweet surrender
Far off footsteps pounding closer still
They come...over a million strong

Passage would be swift, drawn-out farewells denied
Sorrow properly disguised; the girl accepts her fate
Approaching footsteps mocking thunder, one final embrace
Nazi Germans invade her Poland
A ship sets sail; she waves goodbye forever
To her country and beloved parents in the distance

I often think what it must have been like for my grandmother to flee Poland after Nazi Germans invaded. She would never visit her homeland or see her parents again. When my grandmother was in her late 80s, however, she did get to see her sister when she came to the United States. What a reunion! She was forever grateful for all the military that came to Europe's aide during WWII.