Unsung Valor

He rode into battle on a horse made of steel
Sword on his belt and spurs on his heels
Pistol on his hip and rifle at the ready
His nerve was rock solid, his purpose ever steady
He led charges through gunfire; through smoke and through flame
He never did falter when the time came to take aim
He did as he was ordered, and gave orders to his men
They’d follow him to Hell and back and then do it again
He was respected among his comrades, every squad knew his name
But he was there to do his duty and he never sought fame
The medals and the accolades were never his goal
All he wanted to do was save as many men’s souls
-as he possibly could through the hellfire that was war
And he would risk life and limb if it meant protecting one more
To the men, he was a guardian; the strongest of the strong
To the enemy he was a devil; his battle cry, their death song
And yes he killed many, in war it is expected
But on Sunday he would bow his head as he calmly reflected
He spoke to his God; prayed for the strength to soldier on
Then look to the sun as it rose up at dawn
He would sling his rifle over his shoulder and nod his head in understanding
Whatever the Almighty had given him, he gave it to him in plenty
For he never did fail and he never did fall
He stood ready to fight even if it meant giving his all
His presence gave the men what they needed too
With him at their side it was just like they knew
He was the greatest of Soldiers, a real machine of war
But one day it finally came when peace was restored
They had all fought so long and so hard for their country
Many a man didn’t quite know how to exactly
Go back to normal; be the men they once were
Those lives seemed so far in the past; those memories such a blur
But not this hero; no, something about him was different
Even with all he had been through he hadn’t changed the slightest bit
His first Sunday back home he walked into his church
He sat down before his God and he uttered these words
“God, you gave me the strength, but now I just need some peace
If you can find it in your heart, can you just grant my heart this release?
I am burdened with what I have done, but I know I wasn’t wrong
You saw me through that awful Hell, so will you help me to move on
I’ll live the rest of my days in peace; I’ll never harm another man
All of this I pledge to you, if you’d only understand.”
And this once mighty warrior, while kneeling before his God
Tears rolling down his cheeks, was overtaken by awe
He felt the weight he had carried in his heart be lifted with his breath
He felt as though he could stand tall again, his heart beat strong in his chest
He stood and nodded towards the cross, and sent his love on high
He walked outside of his small church and took gaze up at the sky
From that day forth he was no warrior, but the gentlest of men
Just as he was before the war he managed to be once again
He lived until a ripe old age helping any and all that he could
From showing others to the Lord to chopping down firewood
He even raised a family and they were all with him when he passed
His wife, children, and grandchildren were all there when he took his final breath at last
He died a peaceful and loving man, no one could say anything more
No one even knew of what he had done during those years at war
But when he was laid to rest, he was laid among his brothers
Those he had fought and bled among and countless of others
And on his modest stone read his name, but everyone there already knew it
But what came as most of a surprise was the medal carved into it
A sash draped down from the top, an inverted star with a wreath
Above the star was a sprawling eagle with only one word inscribed underneath
“Valor” it said, as if commanding respect of a man that asked of nothing
But on the day that he was laid to rest, to all who were present, he was really something
And he never told a single story from those years before he came home
But everyone remembers him now,
He was the hero that they were allowed to call their own