Oh, the centuries,
How we forget.
Forget your gifts,
Forget your counsel,
That “Freedom is not free.”

You stood behind them,
Whispering,
To Miltiades,
To Leonidas,
To Cincinnatus,
To Washington,
To Eisenhower,
That “Freedom is not free.”

But we forgot you,
For a thousand years,
We forgot.
Yet you did not
Forget us.
Through nameless,
Countless years
Of ignorance,
Of fear, of death,
Whispering, guiding,
Counseling, reminding,
That “Freedom is not free.”

By many names,
In many times,
In many places,
You returned to us,
Reminding us
Of our potential,
Reminding us that we
Are meant to live wisely.
Reminding us always,
That “Freedom is not free”.

We carved your face
Upon our Capitol dome,
Upon our highest honor,
In countless parks and
In our most esteemed
Halls of learning.
But we forget.
And for that I apologize.