Remember the men before me,
And remember them fondly.
I am not of their kind,
And nor are you;
We are among the living;
And the dead are they,
But living only yesterday.

I saw them walking true,
They walked proud too;
And Death they needn't mind,
I wonder if they knew,
When they were living;
Did they see Death, or him hear?
If they did, they showed no fear.

You and I, we are living now,
But someday and somehow,
We will have our name signed;
Carved in stone so true;
That marks where we're lying.
So I hope you remember the men before,
Because someday you too will live no more.