“The Ones Who Still Stand” is a solemn ballad by David Burnell, created for Veterans Day as a tribute to all who have served in war, in peace, and in the quiet battles that follow. It honors not just the heroes of the battlefield but those who came home carrying invisible scars. This piece speaks to the courage, sacrifice, and enduring strength of the men and women who still stand watch over freedom long after the world has moved on.There’s a sound you can only hearIn the quiet after a war.It’s not the roar of the guns,Or the cheers of a parade.It’s the sound of men and womenRemembering the faces they left behind…And learning how to live again.They came from small towns and big cities,From farms, factories, and classrooms.They traded comfort for courage,And went where others would not go.From the beaches of Normandy to the sands of Iraq,From frozen hills in Korea to jungles that swallowed the light,They carried the weight of freedomOn shoulders that never asked for praise.Some came home to crowds and waving flags.Others stepped off planes into silence.And some never came home at all.But even those who didCarried something invisible —The noise that never stops,The smell of smoke that never fades,The questions that never find an answer.Because the battle doesn’t endWhen the shooting stops.It follows you home —To empty rooms,To sleepless nights,To the quiet moments when the world forgetsBut your heart never does.And yet... they keep standing.Through pain, through memories, through years.They still serve —In classrooms, on job sites, in communities —Quietly, faithfully,Because that’s what they know how to do.They are the sentinels of our peace,The watchmen of freedom’s fire.And when the weight becomes too heavy,It’s up to us — the ones they protected —To lift them back up,To remind them that their story matters,And that the nation they built still stands with them.So this Veterans Day,We don’t just remember the battles —We remember the people.The fathers and mothers,The brothers and sisters,The friends who stood between us and the storm.Their courage bought our tomorrow.Their sacrifice shapes our peace.And even when the world moves on,They remain...The ones who still stand.To every warrior who has served in war or peace...To every guardian who still fights unseen battles...We remember you.We honor you.And we stand with you.— David A. BurnellVeterans Day 2025
