A poem e-mailed to me written by an unknown Author.

 He was getting old and paunchy
>                 And his hair was falling fast,
>                 And he sat around the VFW,
>                 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' 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 Joes, Bobs, 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.."
>
>