The Forgotten Hero

An old veteran walked down the street
Smiling and waving to all he did meet

No one returned his wave or his smile
They knew he would be gone after a while

His uniform was old, but clean and neat
He took pride in his looks, but had little to eat

The limp he had with each weary step
Was from a mortar in a foxhole as he slept

He left one foot in that land far away
And no one seemed to care to this very day

Was it on the Normandy beach on that awful day
Or maybe on a ship in Pearl Harbor Bay

Or the Colmar Pocket in southern France
When everyone said "we don't have a chance"

You see, he is a veteran, the forgotten man
He has seen it all from Europe to Saipan

So now he is in the autumn of his life
In his mind he can hear the drum and the fife

He stops, and there, waving in the breeze
Though not a leaf was stirring in any of the trees

The Stars and Stripes was billowing out above
He saluted, and left with his heart full of love

He limped away with a tear in his eye
He had come full circle, he was ready to die

And that's the story, not of one man
But of all who fought to save our fair land

So it seems very fitting on this Veteran's Day
To pay tribute to all that were in harms way

They were so young, they were so brave
They didn't deserve to go to an early grave

They gave their all on the battlefield
So all who came later had a chance to live

The people that ignored him on that city street
Wondered aloud about this man they did meet

When they saw Old Glory waving with no wind
They wanted to see that old veteran again

They turned to tell him they had been wrong
But they were too late, the old man was gone

No one ever saw that old man again
He had disappeared in the cold winter rain

And that's what's happening to our heroes of war
Soon they will all be gone to that heavenly shore

So dodge the draft or burn your flag
But don't mess with a vet with only one leg

He has seen it all, he's not afraid anymore
He's been through the Hell they call war

Being a coward or a hero is up to you
As for me, I fought for the "Red, White and Blue".

Written by D. L. Williams ©

Mr. Williams served in the Army and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

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