Echoes of History

We stand here, Bruised and beaten, From battles lost, And battles past, From the tidal waves of history, That swept us, Taking away more than we can give, Leaving us with less than nothing. Yet we are alive, And living, Hearts pulsing in rhythm, Catching our breaths, yet breathing, Marching legs shaking, Yet grounded in this land we call home. Tired, yet not spent, Torn, yet not shattered, Bent, yet not broken, Our voices – Silenced for long, Yet not muted. We are haunted, By echoes of history, Ghosts of heartbreak, Residues of tears, Jitters from the cold, long night. All it takes is someone’s whisper, A slight humming, A hesitant whistle, Or perhaps the softest of prayer, From someone’s final bit of strength. Breaks out into a collective song, Imperfect, yet infinite, Fleeting, yet universal, Each one’s, yet also truly ours. This song, echoes histories, Our history, Which broke us apart, But now brings us together. We cry, but out of hope, Our voices break, but out of passion, We raise our fists, but out of resilience, We wave our flags, but out of triumph, Our scars hurt, but out of love. The echoes of history, Are never gone, Always bouncing amongst mountains and walls, Both barriers and strongholds. Yet these echoes of history, Now make us who we are, Threads woven into our being, Life that ricochets in our blood, Wisdom in our minds to live by, Verses that echo in the songs of our hearts. Date: October 29, 2022 Contest Name: 2022 Poetry Marathon Mile 18 Sponsor: Mark Toney