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 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 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's so easy to forget them, For it is so many times That our Bobs and Jims and Johnnys, Went to battle, but we know, 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 like 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." A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States' for an amount "up to and including my life." That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.