A Moment Of Silence In A Forest Of White Crosses

by Gregory Ross

The Dead
do not require our silence to be honored
do not require our silence to be remembered
do not require our silence as remembrance, as honor
do not expect our silence to end:

the carnage of war
the child starved
the woman raped
the virulence of intolerance
the Earth desecrated.

It is the living who require our silence
in a lifetime of fear and complicity.

The Dead
do require our courage to defy the powerful and greedy
do require our lives be loud, compassionate, courageous
do require our anger at the continuance of war in their name
do require our shock at the maiming of the Earth in their name
do require our outrage to be honored, to be remembered

The Dead
have no use for our silence.