Memorial Day

MEMORIAL DAY

What’s the yellow ribbon for?
         He asked
Did I miss something?
         I wondered
He’s a retired police officer
         Lives in a small, arrogant world
He doesn’t know! I want to scream
          “They died for your freedom”
Where did you get the ribbon
         The cashier asked
At a fabric store
         I reply
There is a bar and a band paying tribute
         to deceased Harley riders
I wear this for the troops
         who didn’t come home
Her face flushes, her ignorance displayed
         Did she forget, did she ever know?
At the car wash our eyes meet briefly
         He turns away
His grief for a fallen comrade
         He tries to hide
In the check out line she gently touches my arm
          Her eyes overflow as she whispers
Thank you for remembering