Remembrance Day Thoughts

[Vombatus]

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."


 

 Remembrance Day comes only once a year
Remember our past friends and colleagues

[John the Traveller]

They shall grow not old,
As we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them,
Nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun,
And in the morning
We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

[John the Traveller]

Perhaps as it is Armistice day the following poem should take precedence.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

[mxyzptlk]

Lets not forget those unsung heroes, who gave everything so that we could live free
Lest we forget......

[Vombatus]

Well said mxy


maybe jonestherice will come on here and endorse that sentiment.

He, like the rest of us, is able to 'live the life' because of the sacrifices of others.