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Just a Simple Soldier
by
Anon
He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Club rooms 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, every one.
And tho' sometimes to his neighbours, 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 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 the politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note them 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 mongrel 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 services 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 was so long ago,
That our Bobs and Jims and Johnnies 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 rather you'd want a soldier who has sworn to defend
His home, his kin, his country, and 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 like again
For when countries are in conflict, then we find the soldier's pan
Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.
If we cannot do him honour while he's here to hear the praise,
The at least let's give him homage at the ending of his days.
Perhaps just a simple headline in the papers that might say:-
'Our country is in mourning-for a soldier died today.
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