Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire A serviceman 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 whereof he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For old' Bob has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer,
For a Serviceman 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,
Quietly going on his way,
And the world won't note his passing;
'tho a Serviceman 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 Serviceman,
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 sometimes disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Serviceman,
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 is so long ago,
That our Bob's and Jim's and Johnny's,
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 really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Serviceman,
Who has sworn to defend,
His home, his kin, and Country,
And would fight until the end?

He was just a common Serviceman
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 Serviceman'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,
for a serviceman died today"


Author unknown

Thanks for posting this.

Very true and well said.....Thanks! memtb

Great poem !!!

Neil

And little or no homage will be made in the media or elswhere. Doesn't make for the same headlines as a 'mass shooting' in [insert name of city here]

God Bless the Great Warriors!

A man who writes something so true and compelling is a true patriot and someone you want by your side when things get ugly.

RIP Gunnery Sgt J Paul Fallon. April 6, 1950-April 25,2021. 3 tours VN. Turned down a 3rd Purple Heart so he would stay in country. My friend and brother.

God bless their memories to us all.

Amen...

What the hell? Traitor John Kerry was in and out in 90 days, I believe, with 3 Purple Hearts (one self inflicted, another with ointment and a band-aid.).

Rotten fugger is still breathing too.

Thank you, it reminded me of this moving poem Daisy Turner recited. She was the daughter of a slave. Hope you don't mind.

Thanks Snowwolfe for this reminder - the contrasts so severe - the tributes never great enough. Especially telling in these times.

And, thanks to Sawbuck for the poem by Daisy.