Just A Common Soldier

[SpringfieldXD.40]

Found this on another forum...found it to be very touching so I am posting it here.

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JUST A COMMON SOLDIER

(A Soldier Died Today)

by A. Lawrence Vaincourt



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 had 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 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 a soldier died today.



He will not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,

For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.

Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way,

And the world won't note his passing, though 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 their whole 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

A guy 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?



A politician's stipend and the style in which he lives

Are sometimes 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 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 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, 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.





© 1987 A. Lawrence Vaincourt

[cid_ayrbourne]

Amen.

[Devil Dawg]

Very Nice, thank you for sharing that with us.

[GaryTx]

Well writen.

[DanTheEldest]

Very nice. Between the movies, miniseries, documentaries, etc. dealing with the "Greatest Generation", I encourage people to remember that there's no shortage of soldiers walking amongst us--Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, the Balkans, Somalia, Cold Warriors.....everybody's got a story, and many aren't even that old yet. Thanks for the selfless service to the cause of freedom.

[GaryTx]

Originally Posted by DanTheEldest

Very nice. Between the movies, miniseries, documentaries, etc. dealing with the "Greatest Generation", I encourage people to remember that there's no shortage of soldiers walking amongst us--Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, the Balkans, Somalia, Cold Warriors.....everybody's got a story, and many aren't even that old yet. Thanks for the selfless service to the cause of freedom.

There's a shortage of those from WW II. I seem to remember reading awhile back that there were only a handful still alive.

[DanTheEldest]

Originally Posted by GaryTx

There's a shortage of those from WW II. I seem to remember reading awhile back that there were only a handful still alive.

I know....my point was just that this sentiment shouldn't end with the passing of the last of the WW2 vets. The conflicts that came after were more muddied by politics and an uncaring public, but the guys dodging bullets are the same up through today.

[miller]

good read BUMP!!!

[ExSniper]

Thanks for posting this. A good message that our nation and our so-called leaders should read and heed.