SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT... COMMENTS PLEASE ( Archived) (29)

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.

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

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For ol' 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 a very ordinary,
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,
Some jerk who breaks his promises
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's so easy to forget them,
For it is' so many times
That our Bobs and Jims and Johnnys,
Went to battle, but we know,

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--
who for 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 honour
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,

FOR A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."


A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life,
wrote a blank check made payable to 'Canada, UK or
The United States' for an amount "up to and including my life."

That is Honour, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.

This poem hits at the heart.....it describes many of my Vietnam Comrads as well as myself on how we've been treaed throughout the years after coming back from combat zones through conflick 67-69.....Thank You PatMac.

I would love to say it was mine but no I was sent this by a friend who asked me to pass it on....... I gladly do so and hope folk see the virue in the meaning......

Any idea who the poet is? and before anybody starts having a go, lets include the Aussies, the New Zealanders, the Indians, the Ghurkas and all who have fought at our side.[/quote Sorry no, but I would say that it is dedicated to ALL SEVICEMEN/SERVICEWOMEN....... regardless of race, creed and colour. They did and do what is asked of them and more beside.....

Thank you Patmac for this beautiful tribute. It is so appropriate for sure.

Makes me PROUD to have served my Queen and her Country for 25 years.