They Lie Alone

A little background on this one. Both of my parents have passed on. My mother is buried in Leavenworth Veteran’s Cemetery, which befits the spouse of a service member. Shortly after my mom passed, my father moved on to the neighbor woman who slowly fed him alcohol and lies until he succumbed to a combination of the liquor and cancer. She had him, a Catholic, buried in a baptist cemetery with no headstone, no flag, no Taps. Then she moved on to someone else and took their house, all of my family’s history and heritage, and has likely put no thought to my father since. For those who don’t know, a veteran gets a headstone provided. You have to intentionally opt-out during the funeral arrangement. Yesterday, 04/27/2022 was my birthday, and the 6th anniversary of my mother’s funeral. This was written under the influence of some exceptionally delicious bourbon that I chose to have myself.

She lies alone in a field of the lost,
Marching row upon row,
Across the silent hills of sorrow.

She lies alone under a single tree,
In a field of heroes and stars,
Where Taps plays under Old Glory’s shadow.

She lies alone in sight of her mother and father,
Brothers and sisters in rest but,
Without the one who filled her heart’s hollow.

He lies alone in a yard not of his faith,
Robbed of his honor and his due,
By one whose heart and soul is shallow.

He lies alone without a stone, buried in spite,
And forgotten but for those who cry,
Powerless and pained to the marrow.

He lies alone among strangers with no kin,
Who shared nothing with him in life,
With no pomp or marker due a hero.

They lie alone but I hope together beyond the veil,
They found each other and wait for us,
When we reach that forever tomorrow.