Tribute

Laid to rest beneath the soil
On a cloudless summer day;
In a rugged box draped by Stars and Stripes,
For he had passed away.

He served his country proudly.
He stood when duty called.
He was sent to fight in foreign lands
Where atrocities appalled.

Wounded in the line of duty,
A Purple Heart upon his chest,
He returned home to riots, jeers and sneers,
This man who gave his best.

A thankless nation mocked him,
And all who’d gone to war.
The winds of change had misconstrued
What they were fighting for.

Now homeless and forgotten,
He lived out on the street.
He’d beg for just a dollar
To buy something to eat.

There were many who shared his story
For theirs was the same plight.
Our country failed these once brave vets
By sweeping them out of sight.

Though all who served weren’t stricken
By circumstances like this man,
It is still a sad state of affairs
To exist in this great land.

Please remember to thank our veterans for his/her service to our country, and support organizations that provide and promote outreach programs for those men and women who have served our nation.

This poem was inspired by a trip to a VA Hospital years ago. I saw many homeless veterans sleeping around the campus.