Photo by Unsplash.
Nov. 11, 2026
By Sue Shaw
"Thank you for your service".
These five words speak volumes loudly.
And when they're spoken, I hope you
Will always stand up proudly.
Because those of us who did not serve
Are grateful to the core...
And no matter your ranks, we all say thanks
In peacetime or in war.
Because you served, we all enjoy
Lives based in liberty.
Because of you, our government
Is a democracy.
Because of you, we have our freedoms
Of speech and press and more...
And we realize—these things we prize—
Or what you all stood for!
We won't forget...we owe a debt...
To every one of you
Who donned a uniform and served
The red, the white, the blue.
That flag that waves on holidays
In parades with a marching band...
Up and down and shore to shore
In this beloved land.
And I hope you hear sincerity
In these words as we say...
"Thank you for your service
And for being here today.”
-Shaw lives in Penobscot
The Rising Tide welcomes poems and other artistic endeavors from our community, and showcases them here in our “Create” section. If you have something you’d like to submit—a poem, a picture of a painting, a photograph, a musical recording—send it to info@risingtide.media. We’d love to publish it and give you an audience for your creativity.
