A Poem Worth Reading--FOR VETERANS DAY

[Hercules Powder]

A Poem Worth Reading--FOR VETERANS DAY



A POEM WORTH READING
And sharing!
(Author unknown)

He was getting
old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew whereof he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For old Bob has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Soldier died today.

He won t be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.

He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
'Tho a Soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young
But the passing of a Soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Someone who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?

The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Soldier,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, small.

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Soldier--
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Soldier,
Who would fight until the end?

He was just a common Soldier,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."


Pass On The Patriotism!
YOU can make a difference

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[Badger]

Very poignant ...

Regards,
Doug

[DaveHH]

I tell them that in Vietnam we lost 100 a week, every week, for 10 years. The fact that we've have been able to escape a draft has saved so many kids. These people would take all of our kids if they could get away with it.

I used to read the Army newspaper to see who was killed that week. "Died as a result of hostile action" and then an equal amount who died in plane crashes, truck wrecks, gunfights......................

[Hercules Powder]

Dave,

Along those lines. I ran across this quote several years ago and it help put into prospective why there seems to be a lot of Vietnam vets that look lost.

"One thing about Vietnam....It killed a lot that survived"

John

[frankderrico]

Herc, good poem, Thanks.....Frank

[TDH]

Dave,

Along those lines. I ran across this quote several years ago and it help put into prospective why there seems to be a lot of Vietnam vets that look lost.

"One thing about Vietnam....It killed a lot that survived"

John

Hear Hear

[old crow]

Thanks, Herc. The truth is in it. Kipling said it, "...its Tommy this and Tommy that and throw him out, the brute! But its saviour of his country when the guns begin to shoot." The quiet veteran knows his worth.