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A POEM WORTH READING

PostPosted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 8:40 pm
by Tug002
A POEM WORTH READING

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 where of he spoke.

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.

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 Veteran 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 Veteran
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 politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Veteran,
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 Veteran
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Veteran,
Who would fight until the end.

He was just a common Veteran,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his likes again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Veteran'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 VETERAN DIED TODAY."

Keep smiling
Tug :)

Re: A POEM WORTH READING

PostPosted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 10:13 pm
by Tonydb
Amen to that

Re: A POEM WORTH READING

PostPosted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 10:17 pm
by Anthindelahunt
What a great poem and so true.
Thanks for putting this up Tug

Anthin.

Re: A POEM WORTH READING

PostPosted: Wed Nov 09, 2016 2:53 am
by Shadowcaster
Thanks for posting that, lest we forget.

Rich

Re: A POEM WORTH READING

PostPosted: Wed Nov 09, 2016 3:58 am
by Fozzer
Well done, Tug!.... :clap: ...!

So many wasted lives, fighting futile wars in far-off places where that had no need to be.

....and it still goes on, today....

...folks never learn.

Paul.

Re: A POEM WORTH READING

PostPosted: Wed Nov 09, 2016 7:22 am
by Flying Trucker
Well done Tug... <<q

Re: A POEM WORTH READING

PostPosted: Wed Nov 09, 2016 9:15 am
by jphespe
Hurah...says it all. RIP

Re: A POEM WORTH READING

PostPosted: Wed Nov 09, 2016 4:54 pm
by Steve M
:clap:

Re: A POEM WORTH READING

PostPosted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 1:41 pm
by Hawkeye07
As we said in the US Navy...."BRAVO ZULU" Tug. (Well Done) Where did you find this poem?
I'd Like to copy it and submit it to the local newspaper. They will want a copyright reference I'm sure.

Re: A POEM WORTH READING

PostPosted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 11:41 am
by hertzie
GREAT POEM! And absolutely true!

Thanks Tug! We Dutch owe so much to those veterans who were willing, in their younger days, to give their life for liberating us from Nazi occupation.

My generation will never forget!

hertzie.

Re: A POEM WORTH READING

PostPosted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 9:35 am
by Tug002
Hawkeye07 wrote:As we said in the US Navy...."BRAVO ZULU" Tug. (Well Done) Where did you find this poem?
I'd Like to copy it and submit it to the local newspaper. They will want a copyright reference I'm sure.


Sorry but I can't help you there Hawkeye as I received it in an email from a friend and it had nothing but the poem. Wish I could help you out though as it is a wonderful poem.

Keep smiling
Tug :)

Re: A POEM WORTH READING

PostPosted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 2:13 pm
by Shadowcaster
Hawkeye07 wrote:As we said in the US Navy...."BRAVO ZULU" Tug. (Well Done) Where did you find this poem?
I'd Like to copy it and submit it to the local newspaper. They will want a copyright reference I'm sure.


Some info here
http://vaincourt.homestead.com/common_soldier.html
and a reading here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_qBMl-_Veo

HTH

Cheers
Rich

Re: A POEM WORTH READING

PostPosted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 2:31 pm
by SG-19
Respect. Nuff said.