Philadelphia composer Romeo Cascarino (1922-2002), who served in the U.S. Army during World War II, composed a plaintive elegy, “Blades of Grass,” in 1945. He expressed a preference, on several occasions, that Carl Sandburg’s poem, “Grass,” be read before performances of the work. Sandburg’s poem was written in 1918, in response to “The Great War.”

Alas, how little the world changed in 27 years. Alas, how little it has changed today.

On Memorial Day, let us honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice by committing to being more conscious of living with compassion, regarding others with respect, striving for peaceful resolutions, and when conflict is unavoidable, acquitting ourselves with honor, humility, and mercy.

These are ideals we may not always live up to, but who are we, if we don’t try to be better?

Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo.
Shovel them under and let me work—
I am the grass; I cover all.

And pile them high at Gettysburg
And pile them high at Ypres and Verdun.
Shovel them under and let me work.
Two years, ten years, and passengers ask the conductor:
What place is this?
Where are we now?

I am the grass.
Let me work.