H e a r t S o n s & H e a r t D a u g h t e r s of A l l e n G i n s b e r g

N a p a l m H e a l t h S p a : R e p o r t 2 0 1 4 : A r c h i v e s E d i t i o n

JEFF PONIEWAZ

Oremus

Michael Oremus, 21,

makes the “Honor Roll”

at the end of the Lehrer News Hour.

A young fellow named Oremus

is among the escalating deathtoll

from the War Against Terrorism

that inspired myriads

to become America-hating terrorists.

Michael Oremus, one of the thousands

of victims of a jackass in a jumpsuit

who plunged Iraq into a hellpit

in the name of God and Democracy.

Michael Oremus, one of the charge of

a latterday Light Brigade

extinguished by Rumsfeld's

ignoramus arrogance:

noble 2 thousand 7 hundred.

Theirs not to reason why

theirs but to do and die

because someone blundered.

Michael Oremus, 21–

did he know his name means

"Let Us Pray"

a frequent phrase in the Latin Mass,

an unbloody sacrifice intended

to replace the vicious circle

of crucifixions Wilfred Owen lamented?

Anybody would be proud

to be on the Honor Roll in high school.

But the deathtoll Honor Roll

is one Honor Roll most of us

could gladly live without.

Ours not to reason why

ours but to do and die.

Oremus. Let Us Pray.

10/16/06

[Note: Oremus is pronounced oh-ray-mus]