Symbol of the Lost



On this day in nineteen eighty-four

A major event - the President oversaw

It was a Funeral for the Unknown Soldier 

Which made us all - just a little bolder ...



In our quest to find out about the missing

From the rolls of soldiers who enlisted ...

To fight a war in a completely unknown land

Taking the chance they'd never return from Viet-Nam



And many did not ... for we lost over fifty eight thousand lives

Along with another twenty-five hundred who may have survived

But there is no concrete proof of those who may or may not

And so, this one man's state funeral represented the lot



Laid to rest after having been awarded the Medal of Honor

The nation's highest military decoration is promised ...

To all soldiers who are interred in such an event ...

A way to honor the memory of all Unknown Soldiers sent ...



To their final resting place, where their spirits can soar ...

Onto a quieter battlefield ... where there are no more ...

... Enemies ... for up there ... everyone is on equal footing

Regardless of where they came from, or what they believed in



It's a place where it doesn't matter who you are or what you did

For - up there ... everyone is unknown ... and - there are - no lids

For in a highly-spirited world ...

Flags ... do not get unfurled ...



For symbols ... representing countries

Have no more relevance than birds and bees

And all of the spirits can only sense strands  

Of their awareness of God's greater plans



- Tristram



© Christopher W. Thomas

9:10pm Friday, May 28th, 1999