"My Tribute to a Veteran"
C.J. Ingerson
11/10/98

Verse 1 ******* "V is for Valor" As he or she goes forth to fight the quest assigned to complete the mission fighting for both country and what is human rights, yes V is for valor not of the common but of those uncommon in un-natural circumstances to live a higher code when the carnal of man's instincts for survival come most near to the surface of life.	Verse 2 ******** "E is for Eternal" Eternal is the veteran as his or her life never ends for the dreams and flashbacks become a part of a life known to only a few days will end on time and months are only days the years to will pass but life for a veteran is always a test to survive for eternal is the quest and the dreams unending.	Verse 3 ******** "T is for the Training" To be the most skilled for survival is not just luck but the preparation to win to understand it is mental as well as physical when two or more sides are locked in mortal combat it is the best trained who will survive and win against superior odds because never to quit is not part ever of training.
Verse 4 ******** "E is for the Earth" The battlefield of now and in the past is here not in space or distant galaxies unknown to us, but on this Earth we fight within the atmosphere of towns and villages countries or continents for to not win here is to lose all we know and this is where our mortal families live and dwell.	Verse 5 ******** "R is for Respect" Respect for oneself respect for ones country respect for ones leaders respect for ones enemy respect for the rights of others respect for the truth respect for all of nature in which lays the field in which the soldier now goes forth most often we have learned to respect history which most never take the time to learn before they criticize those who protected their rights to not respect those who've shed their blood for them and their families.	Verse 6 ******** "A is for Alone" Yes a soldier is part of a team but more often he or she learns to be a soldier is to be alone. The pain of friendship in combat is often the worse to bear as in life we know that friends move and those we grew up with we may never see again, but not so in combat you see a friend take a last breathe a body twisted beyond recognition who once just a moment ago was talking with you.

Verse 7 ******* So the A is for alone and a soldier is always alone in the dreams and nightmares with him till somehow or someone allows sleep to come but rest will never follow. For when you are alone you are responsible for others but no one is ever responsible for you who are alone. "A flower by the way . . . marks a grave, a tomb a poppy marks the veteran who's blood flowed red even when the field was white and ready to harvest . . ."

Verse 8 ******** "N is for Naive" The veteran didn't say "Lets have a war" it is others who plan or scheme this art but the veteran is the one who must fight the battles and allow the politicians to play their vicious games so the N is for naive, away from family and home he or she is forced to go for weeks or months or years or forever to hope that this is the war to end war knowing only that they are naive in this belief.

"A Veteran"

A veteran Came forth one day and stood on the field a sword drawn to glimmer in the sunlight of day, calling to the sons and daughters of another time and place crying the pain of millions with holding the fear felt just now knowing of death of love so strong which would call to some to come but yet once drawn is to be once committed, for another day on this field others did the same only now with guns and tanks and planes creating a holocaust of horror which only a veteran knows and wants not now to share. So go this day to honor some but remember this none would have had you go instead.

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