A Soldier Died Today - A Poem Worth Reading

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 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 Soldier 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 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 

        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 Soldier, 

        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 Soldier 

        His home, his country, his kin, 

        Just a common Soldier, 

        Who 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 likes again. 

       For when countries are in conflict, 

        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 the paper that might say: 

        "OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING, 

        A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."