gonfishn
Commander
- Joined
- May 16, 2002
- Messages
- 2,390
A Simple Soldier<br /><br />He was getting old and paunchy <br />And his hair was falling fast, <br />And he sat around the Legion, <br />Telling stories of the past. <br /> <br />Of a war that he once fought in <br />And the deeds that he had done, <br />In his exploits with his buddies; <br />They were heroes, every one. <br /> <br />And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors <br />His tales became a joke, <br />All his buddies listened quietly <br />For they knew where of he spoke. <br /> <br />But we'll hear his tales no longer, <br />For ol' Bob has passed away, <br />And the world's a little poorer <br />For a Soldier died today. <br /> <br />He won't be mourned by many, <br />Just his children and his wife. <br />For he lived an ordinary, <br />Very quiet sort of life. <br /> <br />He held a job and raised a family, <br />Going quietly on his way; <br />And the world won't note his passing, <br />'Tho a Soldier died today. <br /> <br />When politicians leave this earth, <br />Their bodies lie in state, <br />While thousands note their passing, <br />And proclaim that they were great. <br /> <br />Papers tell of their life stories <br />From the time that they were young <br />But the passing of a Soldier <br />Goes unnoticed, and unsung. <br /> <br />Is the greatest contribution <br />To the welfare of our land, <br />Some jerk who breaks his promise <br />And cons his fellow man? <br /> <br />Or the ordinary fellow <br />Who in times of war and strife, <br />Goes off to serve his country <br />And offers up his life? <br /> <br />The politician's stipend <br />And the style in which he lives, <br />Are often disproportionate, <br />To the service that he gives. <br /> <br />While the ordinary Soldier, <br />Who offered up his all, <br />Is paid off with a medal <br />And perhaps a pension, small. <br /> <br />It's so easy to forget them, <br />For it is so many times <br />That our Bobs and Jims and Johnnys, <br />Went to battle, but we know, <br /> <br />It is not the politicians <br />With their compromise and ploys, <br />Who won for us the freedom <br />That our country now enjoys. <br /> <br />Should you find yourself in danger, <br />With your enemies at hand, <br />Would you really want some cop-out, <br />With his ever waffling stand? <br /> <br />Or would you want a Soldier-- <br />His home, his country, his kin, <br />Just a common Soldier, <br />Who would fight until the end. <br /> <br />He was just a common Soldier, <br />And his ranks are growing thin, <br />But his presence should remind us <br />We may need his like again. <br /> <br />For when countries are in conflict, <br />We find the Soldier's part <br />Is to clean up all the troubles <br />That the politicians start. <br /> <br />If we cannot do him honor <br />While he's here to hear the praise, <br />Then at least let's give him homage <br />At the ending of his days. <br /> <br />Perhaps just a simple headline <br />In the paper that might say: <br /><br />"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING, <br />A SOLDIER DIED TODAY." <br /> <br /><br />Pass On The Patriotism<br /><br />"author unknown"
