He was getting old and paunchy
and his hair was falling
fast,
And he sat around the Legion
telling stories of his
past.
Of a war that he had fought
in
and the deeds that he had
done,
In his exploits with his
buddies,
they were heroes, everyone.
And tho' sometimes to his
neighbors,
his tales became a joke,
All his Legion buddies
listened,
for they knew whereof he
spoke.
But we'll hear his tales
no longer,
for old Bill has passed
away,
And the world's a little
poorer,
for the soldier died today.
He won't be mourned by many,
just his children and his
wife,
For he lived an ordinary,
quick and uneventful life.
Held a job and raised a
family,
quietly going his own 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
In the greatest contribution
to the welfare of our land
One guy breaks his promises
and cons his fellow man.
But the ordinary fellow,
who in times of war and
strife,
Goes off to serve his country
and offers up his life.
A politician's stipend
and the style in which
he lives
Are sometimes disproportionate
to the serves 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 was so long ago,
That the old Bills of our
country
went to battle, but we
know.
It was 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 want a politician
with his ever shifting
stand?
Or would you prefer a soldier
who has sworn to defend
His home, his kin and country
and would fight right to
the end?
He was just a common soldier
and his ranks are growing
thin
But his presence should
remind us
we may need his likes again.
For when countries are
in conflict
then 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 a paper that would say,
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
FOR A SOLDIER DIED TODAY
!!"
Author Unknown