Where?

                      Where?
          (Memorial Day 2025)

Where have they gone
            those who gave their mortal selves
            for an idea    for ideals
                        freedom and fairness
                        justice and joy
            they cherished and shared
           (or hoped to share)
           with all humanity?

Where have they gone
          those who defended their ways and those of strangers
          from despots who came in anger and arrogance
          to steal away what they shared and cherished - 
          their common humanity?

Where have they gone
          the souls of those selfless dead who gave
          their mortal selves
          to a nation that (they thought) stood indivisible
          united under a God of
                      freedom and fairness
                      justice and joy
                                             and of mercy?

Where are those souls?
          In an unimaginable heaven resting
          in reverence?
         They are not here.

And where have we gone
          who stand by    silent
          watching the bullies, arrogant and angry,
          ravage the heroes' legacies,
          strip away
                     freedom
                                 fairness
                                             justice
                                                       joy
                                                          mercy?

Where have we gone, who might have honored them?