Memorial Day (2015)

Lord, sometime this weekend,
        despite all the distractions –
the blow-out sales,
        no cash down,
        no interest to pay;
our favorite war-time movies,
        an all-star cast,
        paid to pretend;
cookouts, reunions,
        fireworks, days off.

Stop us.
        Remind us.

Because, truth be told –
        and the truth is hard to find:
We don’t want to remember
        the real cost and cast of war,
        the self-sacrifice of dog-tags.
The price is too high,
        sticker-shock too painful;
our sons and daughters
        who leave home,
and they never return,
        not the people we knew.
Life-long battle scars,
        pain that never stops;
memories that cannot
        be erased or forgotten –
        no matter what they do.

This is the real price
        for all the sales today;
everything paid up front,
        interest accrued for life.

Oh God, please bring the day
        you promised years ago;
when swords are made into plows,
        guns exchanged for water wells;
when we will no longer teach war
        but settle disputes in peace.*
Please Lord, the price for war
        is too high,
no one can pay
        the price for a Memorial Day.

Amen 

—

*Micah 4:2-4

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