valorous

they saw a need

they saw and sent 

themselves, their souls;

their sons and daughters 

as children told 

how valorous they stood

against a tide of terror 

that threatened sovereignty and democracy
a tide that disregarded diplomacy
and disrespected diversity and individuality 

against the tide
some lost their lives
and some lost husbands
and some lost wives
and some lost fathers or mothers
or sisters or brothers or friends
so many lost back then

still, they turned back the tide

for a time

but tides rise and fall and rise again
not if but when
and now that when is now again

will you stand
to face the wave
and fight
or will you watch
as all are drowned
by the fury and the sound
of those who think
that might makes right