Recalling September 2, 1945 seventy-five years later

In Tokyo Bay that memorable day,
my dad was an eyewitness to history.
But he was not alone.

Hundreds of others like him
stood in uniformed allegiance.
Proudly perched, these sailors and Marines
recognized the significance
of the drama playing out before them
on the floating stage before them.

Autographs on parchment
attested to the negotiated peace
that had been purchased
with a currency of courage.
Signatures secured a surrender
reluctantly offered.

A General specifically tasked
with conducting the somber ceremony
achieved the desired outcome
efficiently and with dignity.

It was a moment in time
that we remember this day
while the ghosts of the past
look on and salute.

In a hallowed harbor
that recalls a bloody beginning,
a peaceful end is recalled.