OUR BEQUEST

As we of this century

Fade into the morning mist of the next,

We bequeath to you who follow

A place of freedom,

For you to protect and cherish,

As we did in the muddy trenches

And foxholes in our time.

We bequeath to you

Tokens of our sacrifices,

In stone and stories,

Of our love of country,

These are for you, since

We will be beyond caring.

Your who in honoring us,

Will thus shape your own lives.

As the final fragments

Of our once invincible band of brothers,

Slip into darkness one by one,

You of this century,

Accept our legacy,

And guard it carefully.

This gift, more precious than life itself,

Is our bequest.

 – ANON –