A CHAIN POEM

Those who lived to love till death, possessed 
A heart of stone and a spirit of a warrior within 
That refused to be broken nor be defeated by 
Violence, oppression, abuse or depression. 

Hopeless romantics, perpetually hopeful —

For freedom, for justice, for peace, for respect; 
For all of their loved ones, for their fellowmen; 
For themselves, for their beliefs, for another sunset; 
... With a pen, with a blade or with a gun; 
... With their voice, with their wits, with their arms 
... With their thoughts, their passions, their deeds — 

They fought and fought as hard as hard could be. 

Insane dreamers of future tenses; 
Lunatics aiming for the bright sun; 
Born ahead of the generation where they belonged; 
They were the torches that burned to the ground. 

But not before kindling the wick with the fire of will, 
And courage that resides in all of us, suppressed — 
By complacency, by norm, by misguidance, by fear 
Of change, of bodily harm, of death and uncertainty. 

Ostracized when they were alive 
Idolized when they were gone 
Many were forgotten 
Some with monuments to their name 
Rebels of yesterday 
Heroes of today 
We honor them in history 
We forgive their crimes 
For who amongst them were without 
Another's blood on their hands? 

For that matter, 
Who among us did not? 
Who has not? 
Who wouldn't have? 
Who is not a 'Hero'? 

We all are; 
In someone else's eyes, 
But who wants a monument? 
Do you? 
I don't! 

So forget me and never forgive me. 

(Please copy & paste to future generation if you refuse 
To find your face gracing any monetary currency) 

Published 18th November 2017
Dup