red, white and blue (poem)

By Larry Kerschner

is the color of our exceptions

a manly thud of marching soldiers

proudly spreads democracy

martial songs of honor and bravery

overcome the slaughtered sounds

of those who hate and try to resist us

because of the freedoms we want to share

a few dusty children may sit next to corpses

offering stunned prayers of tears

instead of greeting our boys

with the flowers and candy they deserve

but we can forgive them

when the hour comes to honor the dead

we will list the names proudly

and never look back