For the Military Dead

Let us speak for the military dead.
Let us venerate them.
Let us honor those men and women,
all people, who laid down their lives in defense:
of us, of our children, of our future, our dreams,
that we might sleep safely in our beds.

Let us pour out libations to the souls
of all those forced by poverty and desperation
into the arts of war
that they might have a future.

Let us offer prayers and incense
to those who fell in battle
fighting far away from home
for a future they will never see,
and for loved ones left behind.

Let us offer prayers for those
currently in the armed forces,
and those veterans who bear wounds
seen and unseen when they come home.
Let us never, ever forget them.

We are here because our ancestors were warriors.
We are here because they did what was necessary.
We are here because they did not flinch, and did not run,
but took up arms, and sometimes laid down their lives.
Let us honor them;
and let us honor the living soldiers among us.
The military is not what it once was,
but there are still men and women worthy of honor
in its ranks.
Hail to the military dead. Hail to our Soldiers,
and hail to the Gods of soldiers.
Keep them safe.

(by Galina Krasskova)