PANTINGO

Tell me

Tell me of the hardships we encountered.
Remind me of the victories
we fought for, the defeats we endured.
Help me recall our high hopes
as we set forth, and how we negotiated
the distances against all odds and opposition.
Remind me of how we held on to our stubborn hopes
to reach the other side with our heads held high.

Reassure me that all we did
was somehow worthwhile.
Help me remember their faces,
pleading, cheering, counting on us to go
where they could not, so we could live
their ambitions, fulfill their dreams.

Tell me the story one more time,
of the heroes who fought and conquered,
so that all who followed in their footsteps
would know a better fate.

For stories are all we know.
And stories are all we have to hold on to.

So speak to me. Whisper, if you need to.
Then I can try to tell the story again,
and we can all try to believe it.

Kirstin Vanlierde