Published: 12th of December, 2023. Guyana, South America.
Last updated: December 12, 2023 at 20:22 pm
After the tragic death of 5 GDF officers on a mission to Region 7 near to the border with Venezuela, many Guyanese have written tributes, and some performed songs, in honor of their sacrifice. In this poem, prominent Guyanese legal professional, author, and poet, Mr. Ronald J. Daniels, pens a heartwarming poem in honor of the five who tragically died as well as the two who survived the helicopter crash on that fateful day of December 7, 2023.
Heroes
Your passing leaves a nation sore
Your legend will now rival folklores
An unprecedented loss, never before
Sorrow sweeps from the border to the Atlantic shore
A nation torn to its core
For heroes who will forever soar
You died for what you stood for
You epitomised every fibre of the uniforms you wore
Mike, you were an unrivalled maestro in the air
Sean, you were a lecturer extraordinaire
Gary, you were the quintessential Brigadier
Jason, you were clearly the husband and father of every year
Michael, you brought light to every atmosphere
You were unforgettable since our Hugh Wooding years
An assortment of men who were the rarest rare
Who carried the weight our nation was called to bear
Maduro, you’re marching to the end of your reign
Bolivar’s blood does not run through your veins
Simon was a giant; you’re just a blown-up frame
Who is stooping lower than the low coastal plain
The blood on your hands, that’s our heroes stain
The stake in your heart, that’s our country’s pain
The weight on your conscience, that’s Bolivar’s disdain
The man in the mirror, hmm…just the shell that remains
Simon fought for freedom, but you’re fuelled by greed
Your country’s got more resources than your people need
Essequibo is not what your people really want to cede
Instead, what Venezuela needs is someone who could lead
Our heroes, we bid you Godspeed
A New Guyana will rise-up where you planted seed
No concessions…we will not concede
Even if every drop of blood we are called upon to bleed
Crawford and Jackson, we’re grateful to have you here
We can’t imagine what it must have been like being there
You are no less heroes because your lungs are collecting air
We salute you; please keep standing tall and square
To the families and loved ones of our fallen heroes, our hearts and shoulders are yours through this difficult season.
Ronald J. Daniels
December 12, 2023
