A Soldier Died Today

"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, everyone

And tho' sometimes to his neighbors

his tales became a joke,

all his buddies listened

for they knew wherof he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer

for ol' Bob has passed away

and the worlds a little poorer

for a Soldier died today.

No 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,

quietly going 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 when 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 politicians stipend

and the style in which he lives

are sometimes dispropotionate

to the service 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's so long ago

that our Bob's and Jims and Johnnys

went to battle, but we know.

It was not the politicians

with their compromises and ploys

who won for us the freedom

that our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger

with your enemires at hand,

would you really want some copout

with his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Soldier

who has sworn to defend

his home, his kin and country

and would fight on 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

the we find the Soldiers 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 a simple headline

in the paper that might say

OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING

FOR A SOLDIER DIED TODAY"

----- A. Lawrence Vaincourt, aka Larry Vaincourt

LINKS

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