Ode to the Veteran

By: Frank Burkett

What does it mean to be a Veteran, only a Veteran will know ? Any color, male, female in our nineties, eighties, seventies, and below. Perhaps you live in the mountains, large city, suburbia or the country, As long as its in “America the Beautiful”, okay, your in the land of the free. We are the ones who helped make it that way with sweat, blood and tears. Then there were others that loved it so much , they made it there careers. Some were drafted, others of us volunteered, and stayed for just a hitch. Lets not forget the moms, dads, siblings, wives and the rest of which gave support in whatever way they could, and yes, for those that grieved for the soldiers that gave there all in wars they fought, for what they believed. Some of us never got into the thick of it, like others that went of before, but we were all ready and willing to give it our best for whatever was in store. Some were ready on the land, some in air, and others on the high seas. We went to steaming jungles, arid deserts, and places that made us freeze. It wasn’t all bad times we had though, while we were gone away from home. We learned of interesting people from foreign lands, that we got to roam. So now in the theaters of Branson, church or other assembly’s we attend, We are all asked to stand, so as a message to others we will send. We served our country to the best of our ability, and all of us would do it again, But age has taken its toll, so others will have to serve if they can. Lets give a tribute to those who gave there lives and limb, to keep us free, So as to make our lives better, and yes, let the dissenters be able to see, That they were thought of and hopefully are embarrassed by there actions. As they burn the flag or fly it upside down, Just any way to make distractions. God, will you tell me whom decides who comes home and those who don’t ? It has to be an awful decision for you to make, they either will or wont. The heroes are in marked and unmarked graves at home, or in foreign lands, The rest of us that survived and came home alive, are known as veterans.