In a week when it’s apparent
That there’s so much light at stake
In your liberties and lives
And in decisions you can make
In your right to speak out freely
On positions you can hold
In your doing what you ought to
And not merely what you’re told
In your freedom to accomplish
Obligations that you took on
The news that you can read
And the stoves that you can cook on
In the fundamental values
That enlighten and unite us
The soul that makes our enemies
Respect and fear to fight us
But no matter what your view
Of where we are or where we’re headed
There are people in our past
To whom we’re heavily indebted
For the glories that we cherish
And the failures we condemn
We wouldn’t even be here
If it hadn’t been for them
For their willingness to battle
Far away on foreign shores
For the futures that they gave up
For the sake of saving yours
For the mothers and the fathers
As they mourn the dear departed
For the families they lost
And for those they never started
May we for a day
(And it may be the way to save us)
Put aside disputes
And thank them for the light they gave us
