Life With Frenchie

Okay, so it’s not that holiday yet, but it’s coming!! In the meantime, it is a holiday weekend, and a very important one at that. Monday is Memorial Day. One of my favorite poems always comes to mind around this time of year:

A Soldier Reports to God

The soldier stood and faced his God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as brightly as his brass.

“Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?”

The soldier squared his shoulders and
said,”No, Lord, I guess I ain’t
Because those of us who carry guns
Can’t always be a saint.

I’ve had to work most Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I’ve been violent,
Because the streets are awfully tough

But, I never took a penny
That wasn’t mine to keep…
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I’ve wept unmanly tears.

I know I don’t deserve a place
Among the people here
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.

If you’ve a place for me here, Lord,
It needn’t be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don’t, I’ll understand.”

There was a silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God,

“Step forward now you soldier
You’ve borne your burdens well,
Walk peacefully on Heaven’s streets,
You’ve done your time in Hell.”

Enjoy a safe one everyone and remember our soldiers.

Stumble it!