> In honor of our ancestors who fought in wars, I forward this which I > received on another list honoring civil war soldiers. > > Just a Simple Soldier > > > He was getting old and paunchy and his health was falling fast, > and he sat around the Legion telling stories of the past > Of a war that he had fought in, 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 know whereof he spoke > But we'll hear his tales no longer, for ol' Bob has passed away > and the world's a little poorer, for a Soldier's 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 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 politicians 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 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 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 to the end? > He was just a common Soldier and his ranks are growing thin, > but his presence should remind us, we may need his kind 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 the paper that might say: > Our Country Is In Mourning, For a Soldier Died Today > > Author Unknown > > > ==== BAGWELL Mailing List ==== > Please Help Support Rootsweb! By becoming a member, your donation will continue to have this great surname e-mail list, and the new surname boards on a website at Rootsweb! Your donations are the only thing that keep them going! Just go to: http://www.rootsweb.com/ > >