Veteran's Day Poem

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day and I'm not going to have a ton of time for posting. So I thought I'd post a poem tonight to honor those who make the ultimate sacrifice. Although I'm a pacifist, I believe in supporting those who actually go out to fight, even if I don't agree with the war. I'm in awe of those who serve.

The Charge of the Light Brigade sums things up pretty well for me. The poem, written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, commemorates the Battle of Balaclava, a disastrous charge made during the Crimean War. The poem, of the Light Brigade's charge against Russia in 1854, is considered one of the finest pro-warrior and anti-war poems out there. It praises the heroes who fought so bravely and blasts the horrific loss of life.

Plus I tend to use the paraphrased line "ours is not to question why, ours is but to do and die" a lot during the course of the day.

The Charge of the Light Brigade

by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,

All in the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

"Forward, the Light Brigade!

"Charge for the guns!" he said:

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

"Forward, the Light Brigade!"

Was there a man dismay'd?

Not tho' the soldier knew

Someone had blunder'd:

Theirs not to make reply,

Theirs not to reason why,

Theirs but to do and die:

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon in front of them

Volley'd and thunder'd;

Storm'd at with shot and shell,

Boldly they rode and well,

Into the jaws of Death,

Into the mouth of Hell

Rode the six hundred.

Flash'd all their sabres bare,

Flash'd as they turn'd in air,

Sabring the gunners there,

Charging an army, while

All the world wonder'd:

Plunged in the battery-smoke

Right thro' the line they broke;

Cossack and Russian

Reel'd from the sabre stroke

Shatter'd and sunder'd.

Then they rode back, but not

Not the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon behind them

Volley'd and thunder'd

Storm'd at with shot and shell,

While horse and hero fell,

They that had fought so well

Came thro' the jaws of Death

Back from the mouth of Hell,

All that was left of them,

Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?

O the wild charge they made!

All the world wondered.

Honor the charge they made,

Honor the Light Brigade,

Noble six hundred.

Bernie

As a state employee I get tomorrow off. I'm looking forward to hopefully sleeping in, getting some things done around the house, and maybe some reading. When I first started working for the state I thought I would get all those wonderful bank holidays as well. You know, the ones like Columbus Day or President's Day. Instead I get Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Veteran's day only. Not that I'm complaining. Most people don't get that. 

So Veteran's Day is tomorrow and I should be thinking of all the soldiers overseas who are serving our country. While I am a Pacifist, I still support our troops. I may not like why they are there but I can certainly show my appreciation. 

But Veteran's Day always makes me think of Bernie. The year I was born my father decided that he wanted to take up the guitar. He signed up for a continuing Ed course and it was there he met Bernie. Bernie was in his mid fifties and my dad was in his mid thirties but they struck up something of a friendship. After the class was over Bernie would come over once a week to play guitar with my dad. I grew up around this man. It was so regular to see him each week that in the summer when he was up at his cabin was strange. There are certain songs, like Greensleeves and Edelweiss, that I can't hear without thinking of my dad and Bernie. 

Now Bernie is a veteran. He gave his leg and most of the movement in his right hand to World War II. He was doing artillery for the Army when they were hit by a randomly aimed shell. Three of the guys in his group died. He was happy to have just lost a leg. He would tell us stories of being lost at sea on a disabled destroyer. He told us of his time in France. But mostly I learned about attitude from him. 

Bernie could have come back as shattered as his leg. Instead he remembers just being happy to be alive. He worked for years at the Veteran's Administration, working his way up the chain. But it was when he retired that Bernie really started to work. He started a band, called the Old Timer's Band, that plays in retirement homes and community centers for free. You would think that would be easy. A great volunteer gig. But Bernie takes it seriously. The band did 363 gigs last year. There were days when he would do two gigs, traveling miles between locations. Sometimes they come in the summer when the weather is nice, sometimes in the snows of winter. Bernie says he loves it. He can't imagine doing anything else. And for a man of 88, with only one good leg, he certainly gets around well. 

His attitude is what makes me so impressed with him. Bernie will tell you he's doing what he loves. He lost his wife two years ago, and he could be feeling sorry for himself, but he is constantly thinking of others. He knows the older people love to hear the music so he goes. He loves to play so he never misses a gig. So tomorrow, even as I look forward to it as a day off, I'll be thinking of Bernie. Even though we're expecting snow he'll be out driving to his gig. I just hope I have his energy when I get older. And his attitude.