Remiss

Remiss


It’s funny how you sometimes find
familiar words within your mind
have deeper meanings than you thought,
subtleties that were not caught.

“Remiss” I’ve found to be a word
with shades of meaning I'd not heard.
Sadly, I was unaware
of the message hidden there.

“Failure of duty.” That for me
was the long lost subtlety.
For those who've worn the uniform,
duty is more than a norm.

Duty is a sacred vow
whose echoes, in the here and now,
are born of voices from the past
from those remembered or outcast.

We weren't remiss in time of wars;
our blood was shed on foreign shores;
We weren't remiss in time of need
to help the people that were freed.

From Europe to Afghanistan,
we've held the line to the last man.
Never flinching from the call,
we've paid the price; we gave our all.

To the soldiers of our nation,
regardless of their branch or station,
and to those who'll join the ranks,
I’ll not be remiss with my thanks.


Notes:
An entry for the August round of "HONORING OUR VETERANS " 

A special salute to the "outcasts" who proudly served with me in Vietnam.

Thank you for taking time to read my words. I would appreciate it if you took a moment and left a comment. Your reaction, impressions, criticisms, - yes, even praise - are all equally welcome.