Poem: America’s White Crosses

America’s White Crosses

By Dave Thompson, Kenai

Have you ever walked the row on rows

Of Billys and Johnnys and Jacks and Joes

Where our nations heroes are laid to rest

In national monuments East to West

Under America’s White Crosses

Those pure white crosses, of glory divine

Reflect all hope of yours and mine.

The price they paid, lets never forget

Their devotion to Freedom, our country’s debt

Under America’s White Crosses

The countless names on honor rolls

The Wall, the plaques, the endless toll

True patriots all, they gave us lease

Engaged in war to bring world peace

Under America’s White Crosses

They gave us their all, though not in vain

Within our hearts we feel their pain

We’ll never know just how they died

For duty, honor and country pride

Under America’s White Crosses

Many of husbands, fathers, and sons

Fill unknown graves in Arlington

Their heroic lives were snatched away

By bullets and bombs and shrapnel spray

Under America’s White Crosses

Stand upright, listen, the caisson arrives

With flag draped coffin and tear filled eyes

Another young soldier, we’ll lay to rest

One of our own, our nation’s best

Under America’s White Crosses

Honor Guards ready their rifles to shoot

Silence is broken, a twenty one gun salute

A bugler plays taps, a sad consolation

For those that have died defending this nation

Under America’s White Crosses

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