Fred R. Ring, UAW Local 735 Retiree, Westland, Mich.

'The Old Soldier'

He may live next door or just down the road.
You may notice his steps are a little slow.

He doesn’t tell where he’s been.
What he saw or did where or when.

The gray in his hair helps to tell his age.
But not the battles he saw as they raged.

You won’t know about the flashbacks.
The bad dreams of battles, gun powder and flack.

The fire fights with flares and tracer bullets lighting up the night.
Then checking to see how many were OK after the fight.

You don’t see him in a cold sweat shivering in a bed that’s soaking wet.
His eyes wide open and set.

He may not scream or yell.
But in his mind he’s going through hell.

But when he hears the anthem start to play.
He stands tall and straight with a lump in his throat
that you won’t see because it’s just his way.

He tries not to think of these things.
Still he wonders when the universe commander calls
his name will he have earned a pair of golden wings.

It’s the old soldier that lives within.
He will always come back again and again.

When you see him walking with a slow stride.
Just remember you can’t see what’s going on inside