The morning mist still clings to the Bayou, where the Pines stand firm against the tide, A sentinel of stone and salt, where the echoes of the faithful abide. Today, we look past the horizon, to the quiet fields of honor where they rest, Those who answered the call of duty, and gave their all to the ultimate test. They were not just soldiers; they were brothers, sons, and the heart of the land, They walked through the fire, the storm, and the dark, simply because they were told to stand. They stood for the promise, they stood for the light, they stood when the world went cold, Their story is written in the silence of stars, a testament brave and bold. We are the beneficiaries of a debt that can never be fully repaid, By the lives they surrendered, and the foundation of freedom they laid. So today, we do not just remember with words, or with flags that gently wave, We remember with action—with the strength to stand tall and the heart to be brave. In every hospital hall, in every room where the weary seek to find peace, We carry their memory forward, a mission that shall never cease. Like the Point of the Pines, we are anchored in truth, tempered by time and by grace, Keeping the flame they ignited, burning for every soul, in every place. They are still standing, in the legacy left, in the courage we summon today, And we, by their side, continue the watch, as we honor the price they had to pay
