MY SOLDIER
© 2013 Richard Lee King
We were fighting in Iraq, it was nineteen ninety one.
The war was on his mind and I was proud he was my son.
Then the reality struck, Uncle had gotten his man,
thanks to a strong recruiter, who sold a patriotic plan.
It’s not that he was wronged, military was in his DNA,
but ending up in infantry? Surely there’s a better way.
Can’t say that there’s much future, in learning to drive a tank,
but somehow they convinced him, it’s a quicker way to gain in rank.
He was a brave patriot, off doing Uncle Sam’s bidding,
but the first time he brought it up, I assumed he was only kidding.
He felt it was his calling, his duty, he believed.
When he finally got back home, I’ve never felt more relieved.
He discharged as a Sergeant, after a 4 year infantry hitch,
though at that time, to me, it had seemed like “bait and switch.”
But once he’d done his duty, it made a great looking resume’
We considered that important, still do to this very day.
He got a military education, then signed up to go to school.
Uncle Sam was footing the bill, no one said we’d raised a fool.
He’d come to be the man, his mom and I, had hoped to see,
and I know, she’d be as proud of him, as his Pops will always be.
*********
Gramps use’ta say
© – R.L.King 2012 #136
About: Military Service – (Basic Training)
“You don’t know, what all you don’t know,
til you meet your DI.”
Am I The Only One 