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A Footnote In Time
He stood quite uncertain, hunched over with age,
diminished and long past his prime,
far back in the shadows, deferring to youth,
obscure in the fall of his time.
Brass bands and parades, the cheers and applause,
meant clearly for others, not him,
his past long forgotten, a footnote in life,
the limelight had long faded dim.
No stories of greatness, nor tales oft‘ retold,
no medals displayed on his chest,
his task unremembered, and so it would be,
a veteran who’d given his best.
With hand o’er the heart, doffed cap in his hand,
a voice whispered, trembling but proud,
“O’ say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,”
words lost on the unmindful crowd.
Far back in the shadows, alone and ignored,
this veteran, now long past his prime,
unnoticed, forgotten, the world marches forth,
his deeds a mere footnote in time.
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“Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.”
Gen. Douglas MacArthur, 1951
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That was excellent. Thank you for writing it and for (hopefully) reminding everyone to remember all our vets, young and old.
Kim
Isn't it a sad commentary on our nation that what made it great is no longer in style? I personally think that there are still quite a few of us left who have a tear in our eye when we see the flag passing.
But nobody understands better than the veteran.
Jessica
onelilartist