country...

No One Left Behind

Shooting eight-ball in a tavern, makin’ practice shots and breaks
Chalk my cue and rub my shoulder, even now the bone still aches
Saw an old man come in limpin’, in a uniform and boots
Lotsa people just ignored him, but I snapped a quick salute

Although he was a stranger, he was still a friend of mine
He’d lived sacrifice and danger, b’lieving no one left behind

Told me somewhere in Korea, that his men had been attacked
Though his left leg took some shrapnel, one by one he’d brought ‘em back
They’d been meeting in that tavern, at the same time ev’ry year
That night only he had made it, and his brown eyes swam with tears

The only one from his platoon, still behind hostile lines
He knew his time was soon, cos there’s no one left behind

Bought him a drink, said I still think
‘bouts those nights outside Kandahar
Those who fought there, we all still bear
The nightmares, memories and scars

I said, “here in southern Texas, there’s some guys from my old squad
We go fishin’ ev’ry August, in a quiet little spot
Last year Tom was in a car wreck, haulin’ feed from San Antone
And I know as time keeps marchin’, one by one he’ll bring us home

Cos the fight will never end, it still haunts our minds
Ev’ry man a brother and a friend, and no one left behind”

©2009 Robert George

like it alot Rob...i'm a big fan of vets...especially the ww2 guys since there are so few of them anymore...i strike up a conversation with alot of the ones i do see...those guys are the real deal...not takin' anything away from the guys serving now or other wars, just have a soft spot for the ww2 guys...my dad was one, my father-in-law...my stepdad who's 89 now is the last one left in the immediate family, they left his platoon in France without enough provisions...he was a great hunter and hunted down food for the platoon when things got tough...he still hunts now even if it is on a chair in a blind...he got a couple turkeys last month...see ya...mj

Grouch,
I like it!

good luck,
John

I really like you idea. great subject and never enough said about them. I think you worded it into a good write.
Geneva

I like the story - especially those 2 lines about them meeting in the same place every year, til one year, it's only him left. Very well worded.

thanks everyone.