A SOLDIER DIED TODAY - Poem Worth Reading

[M.D. Holloway]

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 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 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,
Some jerk 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."

[azasadny]

Thanks!

[widgeon13]

+1, a solemn reminder of what most of us overlook.

[Oh Haha]

Wow, what a sobering poem.

I wish I had asked my dad more about his time in the service. He wasn't a hero or do anything fantastic but he served his country proudly. Besides his family, it's the one thing he cherished.


Thanks again to all of the Pelicans that are serving or have served. You are all heros in my eyes.

[Rick Lee]

I got behind an SUV yesterday with some decals on the rear window, something to the effect, "In memory of my loving son, name, rank, b-day, date of death, USMC." I think he was 29 and died in 2005, probably in the sandbox. I was in the 993, pulled up next to her, got her attention and gave her a thumbs up. She waved appreciatively. Strangely, about two hours later, on the way home from the gym, I got behind her again, waved again as I passed. Not too many blue 993's around here, so she knew it was me again.

[Embraer]

one star? some one is a true as$hole.

[afterburn 549]

WOW....well said , well wrote

[drcoastline]

Wow, touching, well written.