A poem, by me. Enjoy:

A Beer Never Bought

Well, the flat top is gone from his head
Replaced with long gray hair instead
and he drinks too much Jack,
and he starts thinking back
He kinda laughs at how it all began

He and his buddies weren't doin well with the college plan
So they went off to work for Uncle Sam
He gave him a gun
Took away his college fun
And sent him off to fight out it 'Nam

The Lt. calls down the order
"Men! We gotta take the hill!"
He takes one last look at his St. Christopher medal
And he goes off to kill or be killed

Everyday he wakes he thanks God
And he curses this jungle terrain
He had girl back home, she hippie now
and he's alone
He misses when life was just a game

Takin' the late night train to Midland
His tears fall on the track
He would been home to his momma earlier
But they called him a baby-killer
So he stopped in a bar and got smashed

He never wanted a parade
He'd-a-said No if you'd asked
Maybe a handshake or a thank you
Hell, a free beer wouldn't have been half bad

Forty years later he's on his barstool
When a young man walks through the door
He takes one look at him in his uniform
and his eyes fall to the floor

"Hey Tommy get this man a drink!
Aw, just put it on my tab
No need for thank-you,son
I know where ya been and what ya done
Hell...I'd take the jungle over sand"

His friends? They all made back just fine
Hell, they're still quite a team
And except for the name of Father
They are proudest to be called MARINE

So everyone raise their glass
I'm going to leave you with a thought
Think of all those carryin' a rifle tonight
And don't leave 'em with a beer never bought
don't leave 'em with a beer never bought



Have you thanked a serviceman/woman lately?