Memorial Day - a poem

Subject: Memorial Day - a poem
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 30 May 02 - 09:17 AM

Bury Me With Soldiers

I've played a lot of roles in life;
I've met a lot of men,
I've done a lot of things I'd like to think
I wouldn't do again.
And though I'm young, I'm old enough
To know someday I'll die.
And to think about what lies beyond,
Beside whom I would lie.
Perhaps it doesn't matter much;
Still if I had my choice,
I'd want a grave 'mongst soldiers when
At last death quells my voice.
I'm sick of the hypocrisy
Of lectures of the wise.
I'll take the man, with all the flaws,
Who goes, though scared, and dies.
The troops I knew were commonplace
They didn't want the war;
They fought because their fathers and
Their fathers had before.
They cursed and killed and wept...
God knows They're easy to deride...
But bury me with men like these;
They faced the guns and died.
It's funny when you think of it,
The way we got along.
We'd come from different worlds
To live in one where no one belongs,
I didn't even like them all;
I'm sure they'd all agree.
Yet I would give my life for them,
I know some did for me.
So bury me with soldiers, please,
Though much maligned they be.
Yes, bury me with soldiers, for
I miss their company.
We'll not soon see their likes again;
We've had our fill of war.
But bury me with men like them
For no one else does more.

To the Men and Women of the Armed Services who have taken their beliefs and gone out in other's stead. My sincerest gratitude for having known you.

Steve

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 30 May 02 - 11:12 AM

me too..

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 May 02 - 11:38 AM

Well done, Bro...my honour to call you that.

Thanks for sharing it.

luvyakat

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 30 May 02 - 11:53 AM

Well written, Norton.

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: Murph10566
Date: 30 May 02 - 12:57 PM

Straight to and from the Heart -

Many thanks, M.

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 30 May 02 - 02:05 PM

Steve, will you sing it for us on PalTalk?

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: GUEST,Peace Matriot
Date: 30 May 02 - 02:20 PM

Not to disrespect anyone, but this poem is one of those "author unknown" poems circulated all over the internet on military websites.

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 30 May 02 - 02:29 PM

To his credit, Norton didn't claim authorship. I think we all just assumed Steve wrote it. Thanks for the posting, Norton.

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 May 02 - 02:30 PM

According ot this website it is not anonymous, but by a Father Charlie Fink.

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: GUEST,Peace Matriot
Date: 30 May 02 - 02:31 PM

Also to his credit: the fact he didn't correct you when you said "Well written, Norton".

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 30 May 02 - 02:34 PM

Maybe he posted it and went for a ride on his scooter. That's what I wish I was doing right now.

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: GUEST,Peace Matriot
Date: 30 May 02 - 02:35 PM

OK, so it was by Father Charlie, then. If you type in the title of the poem at google, you'll get several pages of hits that bring up sites that list it as "author unknown".

I recognized it from an email sent to me with it when US troops went into Afghanistan. It isn't just circulated via websites. A lot of chain emails contain it too.

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 30 May 02 - 02:55 PM

First I've had an opportunity to get back here. I didn't write it - thought about music for it - and pretty much cut and pasted it from an e-mail I received from an F-105 pilot buddy of mine. It simply reflected how I was feeling this morning.

Steve

I wish I was riding my scooter today! I will be this evening though.

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 30 May 02 - 03:18 PM

Then, does that mean you'll sing it for us...after you write the music of course. ;-)

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 May 02 - 03:22 PM

Thanks, LeeJ and Steve.

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: GUEST,Peace Matriot
Date: 30 May 02 - 03:33 PM

Thanks for neither taking or giving credit for the poem, Norton1.

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 30 May 02 - 03:45 PM

Bury Me With Soldier's By ~ Father Charlie Fink

"I've played a lot of roles in life; I've met a lot of men. I've done some things I'd like to think I wouldn't do again.

And though I'm young, I'm old enough to know some day I'll die, and to think about what lies beyond, beside whom I would lie.

Perhaps it doesn't matter much; Still if I had my choice, I'd want a grave,mongst soldiers when At last death quells my voice.

I'm sick of the hypocrisy of lectures of the wise. I'll take the man, with all the flaws, Who goes through scared, and dies.

The troops I knew were commonplace They didn't want the war; They fought because their Fathers and Theirs Fathers had before.

They Cursed and killed and wept... God Knows They're easy to deride... But bury me with men like these; They faced the guns and died,

Its funny when you think of it, The way we got along. We'd come from different worlds To live in one where no one belongs.

I didn't even like them all; I'm sure they'd all agree. Yet I would give my life for them, I know some did for me.

So bury me with Soldiers, please, Though much maligned they be. Yes bury me with Soldiers, for I miss their company.

We'll not soon see their likes again; We've had our fill of war. But bury me with men like them Till someone else does more."

~ Father Charlie Fink

I copied this from Sister Kat's link - It's the correct version and still reflects how I feel. It is nice to know who really authored it. And I think you are welcome GUESTPeace Matriot.

Steve

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 30 May 02 - 03:46 PM

Hey Steve...did you ever get one of those little yappin' rug-rat mutts chasing you on your bike and nipping at the tires? Annoying, isn't it? There ought to be a leash law.

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 May 02 - 04:19 PM

LMAO, LeeJ!

Thanks, Bro! Got any of that spray the postpeople use?

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 30 May 02 - 04:26 PM

Waitaminute!!!!! Sounds like my Skippy! (Yorkie) He makes a lot of commotion, tries to sound real fierce, but he's completely ineffectual, even the cat ignores him...but we love him anyway.

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 30 May 02 - 04:30 PM

Well - My Grandfather would put a potato sack under the hubcap and when the little nipper bit it - well a quick ride usually stopped it. But I am a pain in the butt for the most part - so it only stands to reason I'd get an occasional payback.

And LeeJ - I appreciate what you said about your time during the war. But please do not feel bad about it. I hung with lots of folks that didn't want to go die. And I was grateful then that they didn't have to and I'm grateful now that they aren't my clients. I did so love partying with you guys. I was alive - no small miracle - and needed the time to just try to sort out what all was going on.

Thanks for being there - Thanks for the good smokes, the soft women, the laid back times, all of it -

Steve

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 30 May 02 - 04:37 PM

Thanks for the good smokes, the soft women, the laid back times, all of it -

Hell, in that case you owe me big time! Thanks for putting it in perspective for me! :>}

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: SharonA
Date: 30 May 02 - 04:59 PM

Beautiful poem, Steve. Thanks for posting it.

Subject: RE: Memorial Day - a poem
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 30 May 02 - 06:20 PM

Here is the letter from the site telling the tale of the Author:

I served with Delta 4/12 199th in 69. Soon after I was assigned to the platoon, another skinny draftee by the name of Charlie Fink, found himself assigned to the same unit. His load included an M79 and bag of bullets. After I was assigned to the M60, I used to look up the trail and see him gritting it out under that load and more then a few times, I told myself that "if Charlie could make it with his load, then I would manage with mine." Charlie had spent several years in college studying to be a priest. I am not sure how he ended up being caught in the draft, however, there he was...,a quiet, thoughtful and sensitive young man in the middle of the war. He was a bright fellow who knew how to use humor when we needed it and he proved to be as tuff as the next grunt. On the morning of May 27,69 he was walking point until the sun was high in the sky.! Noticing that he was very tired, Sgt. Claude VanAndel (with only a week left in country) and his RTO, Dave Kinney, came up to take over for him. Within minutes, VanAndel was KIA and Kinney's wounds would take his life late in the hospital. Fink had been hit in the groin and other wounded were scattered in a clearing below a row of NVA bunkers.

After time in the hospital, Fink was assigned back into the field to work (I think part of Echo Company) with the "Rat Patrol." In this duty, he and his squad would drive their jeep, outfitted with listening technology, up into the mountains looking over the areas of operation where the regular companies were working. From the higher ground, the "Rat Patrol" squad gathered intelligence and occasionally called in fire support for the regular companies of the 199th.

Charlie finished his tour and went back to Grad. School and eventually became a priest. His parish is on Long Island, in the community of Hewlett. Charlie is one of those quiet heroes with a lifetime of service to our people and our Lord. My life has been better for knowing him. I think his poem speaks for all men who have been asked to serve and the respect we gain from the men around us.

Bob Fromme


And you are most welcome for the posting.

Steve