" A veteran is someone who, at one point in his/her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America," for an amount of "up to and including my life"
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A POEM WORTH READING
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He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.
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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.
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And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew where of he spoke.
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But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For ol' Joe has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Veteran died today.
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He won't be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.
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He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
'Tho a Veteran died today.
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When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.
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Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young,
But the passing of a Veteran
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.
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Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Some jerk who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?
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Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?
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The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.
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While the ordinary Veteran,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, small.
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It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.
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Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever-waffling stand?
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Or would you want a Veteran
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Veteran,
Who would fight until the end.
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He was just a common Veteran,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his likes again.
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For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Veteran's part,
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.
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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.
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Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A VETERAN DIED TODAY."
AMEN ...
