The Soldier

00/00/03 | unknown

[Lady In Blue]

THE SOLDIER

Picture in your mind the soldier at Valley Forge, as he holds his musket in his bloody hands.

He stands barefoot in the snow, starved fromlack of food, wounded from months of battle and emotionally scarred from the eternity away from his family surrounded by nothing but death and carnage of war.

He stands tough, with fire in his eyes and victory on his breath. He looks at us now in anger and disgust and tells us this...

I gave you a birthright of freedom born in the Constitution and now your children graduate too illiterate to read it. I fought in the snow barefoot to give you the freedom to vote and you stay at home because it rains.

I left my family destitute to give you the freedom of speech and you remain silent on critical issues, because it might be bad for business.

I orphaned my children to give you a government to serve you and it has stolen democracy from the people.

It's the soldier not the reporter who gives you the freedom of the press.

It's the soldier not the poet who gives you the freedom of speech.

It's the soldier not the campus organizer who allows you to demonstrate.

It's the soldier who salutes the flag, serves the flag, whose coffin is draped with the flag that allows the protester to burn the flag!!!

[Lady In Blue]

Thanks,blackie!

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It's Time To Shut Little Tommy Up !
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[the_doc]

Bump!

[Lady In Blue]

Thanks,doc!

[the_doc]

You're welcome. (Hey, let's bump it again!)

[blackie]

Right-on, Lady, it's worth reading, and rereading!

Be Well - Be Armed - Be Safe - Molon Labe!

[flynhghr]

HOOAH

[Lady In Blue]

Thanks again,blackie. I just re-read it a third time.It moves me each time I read it!

[Lady In Blue]

Hey,I'm game! Thanks again for the bump.

[Lady In Blue]

A "HOOAH" back at ya! hehehe!

[the_doc]

Sure thing. (Bump!)

[Voice in your head]

"I fought in the snow barefoot to give you the freedom to vote and you stay at home because it rains."

Hello? Who do you think those people are, who stay home when it rains? Democrat voters. Should they go to the polls and vote the anti-American Democrats, to show their appreciation for the service of past soldiers? That would be obscene.

[madsenjr]

I am a non partisan lobbying for the benefits that offshore oil drilling will bring to the coasts of alaska. I have been to many polls, in all types of weather. I find it personally insulting that you think Democrats participating in our political system only vote on rainy days. I find democrats out in all kinds of weather, especially the sunny days you profess keeps them indoors. Voice in your head, you are clearly a tainted conservative liberal. My organization has been lobbying for a laxing of over protective environmental policy along the coasts and interior of the state of alaska for nearly 15 years, and i profess to you my brother, that rain has no effect whatsoever on the ability of democrats to bear offspring, or for that matter, operate a motor vehicle...i do belive the causal relatinship between the two to be spurious however. Damn you for your race baiting tactics advocating the malicious treatment of the red coquated woodpecker in seperatist societies! Wildlife of all species scoffs at your attacks of any of its members. Shame on you voice, shame on you.

[Voice in your head]

I stand corrected.

[blackie]

It is a keeper, isn't it.

Be Well - Be Armed - Be Safe - Molon Labe!

[RaceBannon]

TOMMY
by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

[RaceBannon]

THE YOUNG MARINE

The Young Marine

By Frank G. Gross I/ 3/ 7/USMC

The ballad below is in reference to the freezing bitter cold that the all troops suffered at the Chosin Reservoir

The road was long and freezing
in this cold and frosty scene
in the Korean War at the Reservoir
for this weary tried Marine


As his frozen feet would shuffle
and his purple toes were tapped
his naked face and burning skin
was wrinkled cracked and chapped


The stiffness of his moustache
his painful face would show
as the nasal drip had made a grip
from the chilling winds and snow


In the fear it could get colder
when the sun would chose to rest
he clinched his arms together
in the attempt to warm his chest


The stinging cold of numbness
as freezing sweat would rub
that changed to ice with in his boots
and on his hands beneath each glove<


A vapor cloud of warmness
from the puff of body breath
help to give resistance
of freezing half to death


The tremor of the snow and frost
a chilling winter scene
fell upon his cover
of his helmet brown and green


Conditions that turned to frost bite
a plague to soon unfold
as the blizzard snow and the enemy foe
had fortified their hold


A typhoon of freezing fury
with snow upon his back
as the lack of allowance
was throwing off balance
of aggression and blizzard attack


The infested Korean mountains
with a foe so sly and coy
in a mass atack their burpp guns crack
with the purpose to destroy


From the Oriental proverb
the Chinese troops all know
when the young Marine at the
Chosin Scene
spoke their words Gung Ho


For the term means work together
with siprit and with pride
as the army and ally nations
were ffighting by his side


For this Marine Corps Band of Brothers
speak not of retreat
as they walk into the jaws of death
and carry out the teeth!

[Happy2BMe]

BTT

[FairOpinion]

Great sentiments.

I think it may be a combination of at least two separate poems.

I have seen this part attributed to Father Denis Edward O'Brien, USMC. But of course I am not sure.


It is the Soldier
By Father Denis Edward O'Brien, USMC

It is the soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet,
Who as given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us freedom to demonstrate.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer,
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Soldier who salutes the Flag,
Who serves under the Flag and
Whose Coffin is draped by the Flag
Who allows the protester to burn the Flag.