Today is Monday, May 26th, 2008; Karen's Korner #1321
A poem forwarded to me by Colleen Hackley, who said, "Use this near Memorial Day, if you would like". Here is a portion of what she forwarded:
Just a Simple Soldier
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 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 politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note thier 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.
It's so easy to forget them, for it was so long ago
that our Bobs and Jims and Johnnys 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.
He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin
But his presence should remind us, we may need his likes 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 sismple headline in the paper that might say:
OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING - FOR A SOLDIER DIED TODAY.
~~ Author Unknown
** Thanks to all of you who have inquired and care about our daughter Jamie's progress. Please continue to pray for her and her/our family. She is continues to be in the hospital, on IVs, and makes three steps forward and two steps back in her progress.
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