Memorial Day poem honors fallen soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery

Memorial Day is a time to remember the men and women who gave their lives for the country and personal freedoms, according to a May 25 statement. The observance encourages reflection on those who served in the armed forces and made the ultimate sacrifice.

A poem titled "The Bivouac of the Dead" by Theodore O’Hara is highlighted as part of this remembrance. The poem is inscribed on McClellan Gate, which was the original entrance to Arlington National Cemetery. It reads:

"The muffled drum’s sad roll has beat
The soldier’s last tattoo;
No more on life’s parade shall meet
That brave and fallen few.
On Fame’s eternal camping-ground
Their silent tents are spread,
And Glory guards, with solemn round,
The bivouac of the dead.
No rumor of the foe’s advance
Now swells upon the wind;
No troubled thought at midnight’s dance,
Of loved ones left behind;
No vision of the tyrant’s wrath,
The night-march done,
The weary watch, the camp-fire’s path,
That e’er shall be begun."

Grant, a Republican, was elected to the Illinois State House in 2023 to represent the state's 47th House District, replacing previous state representative Deanne Mazzochi, according to AFSA.

Memorial Day continues to serve as an occasion for honoring those who have died in military service.