Veterans Day vs. Memorial Day

Illuminate what YOU see as the difference between the two days. The "official" distinctions are easy enough but is that the reality as far as you can tell? Feel free to talk about other people's perceptions and even the media if that interests you. Do other countries follow the same observances?

MEMORIAL/VETERANS DAY

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2014/149/d/4/arlington_cemetery_by_engrvv-d7k7hfl.jpg
(Photo taken by EngrVV in Arlington Cemetery on Memorial Day Weekend 2014)


Memorial day, another day of remembering
to celebrate those who died while serving
Some are unsung heroes without glory
we may never really know their stories
Fallen heroes they are and not really dead
for those weeping hearts they left behind.

I just wonder why the main roads are blocked
leading to the cemetery, traffic is grid-locked;
whereas, all roads leading to shopping malls
they’re open and bargain signs deck the halls.

While Veterans Day celebrates the services
of all US military veterans both living and dead;
it also coincides with the celebration of
Armistice Day
in other parts of the world to mark the anniversary
of the end of World War I, while others simply call it
Remembrance Day.

I can’t really believe what’s going on
everytime we celebrate both holidays;
commercialism on TV ads and shopping malls
defeat the purpose of solemn remembrance
to honor those that have died,
so we may enjoy everlasting freedom
and celebrate with those veterans
that are slowly fading away…

Why do we have to send those young and free spirits
to ghostly wars driven by greed and not by patriotism
only to be broken with limbs, gone and forsaken
dying before they can be treated, their honors taken?  

Thanks...very poignant write!

Observing holidays comparision


The diffenece? Is the dates I suppose
Bt meaning behind? Is to impose


A false understanding of patriot
Within the few knowing that
The glory is the lab that

Mix'z the beakers
And engineers, so that meeker
Are able to take th speaker
And enable a weaker

Country to be dessimated
Interests of the quest debated
Less when when it is celebrated

And glorifed, by educated


Social enfineeers


The end


2014©

nice exploration of what meaning is giving to terms like "patriotic".

The boulevard the same
in May or November
with children still
tugging on the hem
of Mommy’s slacks
whining to go to the mall
for though the marching
bands have tweaked
their songs to more
rousing renditions,
the newspaper ads
promise huge discounts
on the newest shooter
video games at high noon.

One child, a cub scout
somber in uniform asks,
“what’s the difference,
Dad, between Memorial
and Veteran’s days?”
The father’s hand
trembles on the boy’s
bony shoulder and whispers,
“Memorial Day is to remember
the dead killed on the battle field
while Veteran’s Day is to remember
the soldiers who are dying at home
as a nation tries to makes nice till
the sun comes down and all is dark again.”

The boy stares at a soldier
with a prosthetic leg carrying
a black POW flag and bows,
“why do we only make nice
for a day when the soldiers
are hurt or dead forever?
Grandpa died in Vietnam
and you’re always sick
from being in Iraq. Why
don’t people care , Dad?”
The father shook his head,
“freedom gets people so
comfortable they forget they
can still make a difference.”

I love way you end each stanza. Somber reminders of the realities of today. Thanks for the entry!

Thank you, Jazzmanor. Not too many entrants but quality work from Engrvv and Madintellect as well !

You guys hit hard -Congrats Tony-a touching Write indeed!!!
This was an excellent idea Jazz-everything I came up with was shite so I just took to envy from afar :)

Congratulations Tony and MI...thank you bro. JazzTed for hosting the comp. and soul for cheering!

Thanks for the entry, Tony; I now have an appreciation for those who have make some type of judgement in the context of a competition.

Soul, I have had a few like that. Really wasn't that much of a challenge to come up with a topic Vic; the biggest challenge was trying to come up with a order in terms of the 3 entries.