June 14th

ELEGY
As he strode off he looked so brave,
His hand raised, half salute, half wave.
We remember the crooked grin he gave
The day he was called from home.

We worked so hard to hide our pain,
But sleepless nights always tell the strain
And…there was the flag in the windowpane
Waiting to welcome him home.

We clung to hope though the news was grave,
We prayed that God would somehow save
The boy who had never started to shave …
And we wondered if he’d come home.

And then one day the doorbell rang,
And our grieving hearts knew deepest pang,
For a gold-starred flag we had to hang
For the boy who would never come home.

Long years have passed; streets still run red,
And millions still lack their daily bread.
“Freedom from want and fear,” ’twas said
When our boy was called from home.

How can we say ’tis a well-healed scar?
What can we say to that golden star
When our young men still are sent afar
And families still pray them home?

“We are dealing with horsemen four.”?
Or, “‘Tis the powers that be that practice war,”?
Or, “Isn’t the news a dreadful bore?”
Or, “Thank God, we’re safe here at home>”?

‘Tis we with our wasteful, selfish way,
With the cruel chess games we must play,
‘Tis we ourselves who hasten the day
When tragedy will come home.

If I were allowed to pierce the veil
And learn that my efforts were destined to fail,
I pray that still I would seek the grail
In our neighborhood here at home.

For ’tis only as I find peace in my heart
And share with another to give it a start,
Then keep on sharing ’til sharing’s a part
Of the thinking of folks at home,

‘Tis only then that the grail we’ll see,
That we’ll respond with charity,
And our response will the answer be
To the one who never came home.

Prayer: Dear God, keep me a clean vessel in Your sight and flood Your love through me to others that peace might come in my own neighborhood.