More from my friend the retired Sgt Major

[dwarven1]

Might need a Kleenex or two for this one. BTW... the gentleman who sent this to me served in Desert Storm... first in, last out - he was with a field hospital. He only got to meet his son AFTER he got home. I'm also really proud to say that he's my Brother.



THE FINAL INSPECTION

The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.

'Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you ?
Have you always turned the other cheek ?
To My Church have you been true?'

The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
'No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.

'Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell.'

Author Unknown~

 

[Masterguns]

powerfull poem

thanks for sharing

 

[bubbaj]

That was very nice. Your story reminds me of a friend treating soldiers in Iraq right now.

 

[dwarven1]

Another poem that a friend of mine posted on his LJ page. I did a little search and found the author.

JUST A COMMON SOLDIER
(A Soldier Died Today)
by A. Lawrence Vaincourt

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, every one.

And tho' sometimes, to his neighbors, his tales became a joke,
All his Legion buddies listened, for they knew whereof he spoke.
But we'll hear his tales no longer for old Bill has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer, for a soldier died today.

He will not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,
For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.
Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way,
And the world won't note his passing, though 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 their whole 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
A guy who breaks his promises 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?

A politician's 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 was so long ago,
That the old Bills of our Country 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 want a politician with his ever-shifting stand?
Or would you prefer a soldier, who has sworn to defend
His home, his kin and 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 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 a paper that would say,
Our Country is in mourning, for a soldier died today.

 

[Skysoldier]

I knew a boy who went to war
And left "the world" behind him.

As he lay bleeding on the jungle floor
He left his dreams behind him

I knew him well, the boy was me

And now I cannot find him

(I wrote this poem back in 1968 when I was in the hospital at Fort Campbell, Kentucky)

 

[usmcs/s]

thanks

 

[dustoff22]

I knew a boy who went to war
And left "the world" behind him.

As he lay bleeding on the jungle floor
He left his dreams behind him

I knew him well, the boy was me

And now I cannot find him

(I wrote this poem back in 1968 when I was in the hospital at Fort Campbell, Kentucky)

Powerful........

In no way did I suffer the trauma that you did, although I was wounded in Vietnam and recouparated in Vietnam, I think we can all relate....those of us who went there as youngsters.

Sometime after I returned home from Vietnam, my wife was interviewed by my niece who was then a writer for "Scholastic Magazine", doing an article on returning Vietnam vets. I was 22 when I left for Vietnam, married with a 1 1/2 year old son. My wife's comment was that the person she knew who left for Vietnam was not the same person who returned from Vietnam.