Poetry By Chuck

10,000+ strong, we (The Patriot Guard) rode our motorcycles in two by two's, in a cavalcade over 40 minutes long.    Thousands more attended services around the country to honor those who gave us the freedom to ride.    There are not enough words to express the pride that I felt in seeing so many attend the services.   Aircraft made multiple flights overhead, honor guards performed their duty and Mayors, Councilmen/women and Senators came and spoke.

Yet... despite all this I was saddened to see that in comparison to the millions of people who live in Riverside/LA area the attendance was less then 10,000th of one percent.    I wondered why..?   Why do we not value the sacrifice of their young lives to ensure our freedom.   I can only think it because in our 200+ year history, less then 1% of our population has ever served.   Even during the Civil War and WWII, less then 3 percent served.   How can anyone expect our vast population to understand what it means to give it all for something they take for granted... their daily freedom to choose how to live, how to worship, how to dress, how to eat ....

But, the lives given so young, the futures cut so short, the pain suffered so much, the enduring hurt left to those left behind.....were all and are all suffered to give you the freedom to ignore our hero's.   I sincerely hope your Memorial day included at least one oh-so-brief memory....

There are no words
that can express
the feelings of regret
and sorrow filled with tears
as another is laid to rest
in a long line, so many lines
8000 a month, 102,000 a year
they die and we cry
I would send them my love
if I knew...where the post mark goes
but, I don't...and so....
I watch, guard, and protect
with my brothers in arms
we ...welcome them home.

"Let me go home
I've had my run
now that I'm done
Let me go home
it will all be alright
I will be home tonight
I'm coming back home.."