An Ode to a Soldier....

He was getting old and paunchy


And his hair was falling fast,


And he sat around the family,


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 where of he spoke.




But we'll hear his tales no longer,


For ol' Natha Singh 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 a pension, meagre & small..




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 Neta,


With his ever waffling stand?




Or would you want a Soldier--


His home, his country, his kin,


Just a common Soldier,


Who would fight to the skin.


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 YESTERDAY.."