Valor
The dictionary describes 'Valor' as:
Qualities of a hero or heroine;
Exceptional courage when facing danger;
Facing the unknown with boldness and gallentry.
But, gallentry comes in many different forms.
I have seen valor on the battlefront as soldiers
Disembark from boat to beach.
I have read of those who gave their lives
To save their buddies from the wrath of war.
Yet, there is another valor, a silent valor,
Shown on the faces of those who, though not
In physcial combat, soldier against soldier,
Have just as much a life threatining struggle.
There is no noise, clash of weapons,
Shield against shield, or screams of pain,
Just silence, cold, weary silence;
Battle fatigue, as shown by the posture of
Those who return from the front;
Veterans of that silent war of personal combat.
Wave after wave of seasoned combatants pass me by
As I, a new inductee with them, wage our own
Personal battle against our common enemy,
Cancer.
(Free Verse)
poem by Lynn W. Petty
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Related quotes
The Combat Soldier
Many accept the name of soldier,
Yet sit in the office, at the rear.
Whilst the real soldier, the combat soldier,
Fight the enemy, eye to eye.
Their uniforms dirty, faces weathered,
Hands rough, minds tethered.
They’ve seen death’s hand, reaching for them,
Their friend’s, death did condemn.
Their weapons are scratched, and used,
Long in the battle, they are abused.
These soldiers seek refuge, in the wire,
Where many spend the operation in its entire.
The combat soldier gets a short rest,
Only to go back out, confined by their vest.
For days they spend in a crosshair,
Terrorist seeking them, death they declare.
Combat soldier, many missions did you fulfill,
Many friends lost, forever still.
No esteem or awards will you receive,
Those with the rank, medals you will receive.
Though the combat soldier defends the post,
Their treated like the lowest, or a ghost.
The soldier and combat soldier, aren’t the same,
The only similarities are in the name.
Unknown Soldier
Soldier, here I stand and wonder, thinking of the distant thunder,
Of the cannons that once shook the very dirt beneath your feet,
Fire that split the sky above you, turning red what once had been blue,
What a war you were thrust into! Not a moments peace to keep!
Soldier brave your heart must be here! How elusive simple sleep!
Fighting; no reward you'll reap!
When the enemy was coming, through the smoke and mist was running,
And the early morning hour concealed the sun upon its throne,
There when darkest felt your spirit, there your visage fell, to hear it,
To hear the stamp of horse; and fear it, as ear you lay upon the stone!
Nameless soldier! How your radiant face with courage there hath shown!
Shall the battle ere' be done?
Soldier, who will know your valor? How that, never did you cower,
While the bayonet was stabbing and mad bullets pierced the air!
None will know the fateful story of your patriotic glory,
For your body saw a gory death, and nature showed no care.
Hence the war will be remembered yet forget its heroes fair,
Unknown soldiers, don't despair!
poem by Marlin Nightingale
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Songs of Battle
Old as the world--no other things so old;
Nay, older than the world, else, how had sprung
Such lusty strength in them when earth was young?--
Stand valor and its passion hot and bold,
Insatiate of battle. How, else, told
Blind men, born blind, that red was fitting tongue
Mute, eloquent, to show how trumpets rung
When armies charged adn battle-flags unfurled?
Who sings of valor speaks for life, for death,
Beyond all death, and long as life is life,
in rippled waves the eternal air hs breath
Eternal bears to stir all noble strife.
Dead Homer from his lost and vanished grave
Keeps battle glorious still and soldiers brave.
poem by Helen Hunt Jackson
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Brave Little Soldier
Im a brave little soldier
I must be bold and strong
A brave little soldier
And I must carry on
Im a brave little soldier
A brave little soldier
Im a brave little soldier
I must fight, I must win
Im a brave little soldier
Through hell and back again
Im a brave little soldier
A brave little soldier
Per rum, pum, pum
Per rum, pum, pum
Per rum, pum, pum, pum, pum
Ye though I am marching through the valley filled with fear
My steps are sure and sturdy and my aim is straight and clear
The enemy is stalking me just waiting for the kill
Like david slewed galiath
I will claim this battle field
Im a brave little soldier
I must do what I can
Im a brave little soldier
And I must take a stand
Im a brave little soldier
A brave little soldier
Marching, marching onward
Searching out the light of truth
I did not start the war
But its a battle I cant lose
Faith will be my armor
And love my sword and shield
I must defeat the enemy
I will, I will, I will
A brave little soldier
I must be bold and strong
A brave little soldier
And I must carry on
A brave little soldier
A brave little soldier
Im a brave little soldier
A brave little soldier
Brave, little soldier
song performed by by Dolly Parton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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It is a brave act of valor to condemn death, but where life is more terrible than death it is then the truest valor to dare to live.
quote by Thomas Browne
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Field of Battle
I walked the field of battle,
eerie silence accompanied me.
The bitter odor of confrontation,
lingered mutely in the air.
I trod where warriors clashed.
Did my imagination soar, or.
Could I hear in the quiet,
sounds of dying souls?
Everywhere I stepped, I touched,
mute tokens of conflict.
Haunting evidence of siege.
I shuddered as the chill of fear caressed me.
On scorched earth a helmet laid.
What account might it cradle?
Who once had been its owner?
Had it been discarded, or orphaned?
An empty boot, a broken blade,
a long gun supported by bayonet.
Dented helmet graced the butt.
Had once young hero rested here?
In this field of battle,
‘midst smoke, fire, screams.
Did valor accompany fear,
and violence cultivate history?
What lie hidden, covered,
in these now so silent meads?
Were fainthearted to become hero,
had victors, and vanquished, dwelled together?
I wondered,
as I walked the field of battle.
10FEB06
poem by Kurt Hearth
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Silence.....
silent thoughts
silent dreams
silent horrors
silent screams
silent pains
silent refrains
The cold black
silence attracts
silent wisdom
silent thoughts
A want for more is what silence sings
but is love on the menu, all but contiversy
butnow have u realized wat silence can bring?
hopless insanity if u can read....
sound is wats need to go through life
but all awhile silence is that unwinnable fight
push with all ur power
hope with all ur dreams
but you get no second chance
you only deserve screams
but those screams are silent, hopeless....
insanity........
poem by Tommie Cobb
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Soldier (not really a poem)
the american revolution was fought witha new breed of soldier.
this country was founded on that soldier.
that soldier is the one that those on the front lines calls the coward
that soldier is the one that those on the front lines call when they need help
because these soldiers dont miss.
these soldiers are trained harder than the most elite frontline man
these soldiers are tought to kill their enemy before there enemy sees them.
these soldiers are the ghosts in the night,
these soldiers are the wind in the day
these soldiers are everywhere.
these soldiers are the bush next to u.
these soldiers are the the tree across the field.
these soldiers are the lump of snow in the flat plain.
these soldiers are snipers.
snipers are the reason we are free.
snipers stop the enemy before the enemy gets close to u,
poem by Joshua Decker
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The Soldier Man
The rifle and the bullet
He handles with bravura;
A quintessence of a warrior,
A mighty man of valor;
Possessing the intelligence of a hundred men.
Come hell or high waters,
He's no superman,
But still remains a soldier~
A soldier man indeed!
poem by Kingsley Ayi
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The Few, The Brave
As proof of our remembrance, we lay a flag by each and every grave;
With perpetual solemnity, we ensure that it shall always wave
Under the free skies of the land that they and our forebears created:
For God, Duty and Country-they never hesitated
To serve with Honor and Valor for a higher purpose;
All gave some, and some gave all-all, in service
To a most grateful nation, which must always remember,
Whether on a Summer morn in May, or a blustery one in September:
If not for their bravery, indeed, their sacrifice, we'd not be free!
Surely, if I did not take time to pause, I'd not be me-
Because I stand under free skies, and make my very own choices
All because, even from hallowed graves, they provide us voices
In all we do, see, hear, touch, and feel.
No one may blind or mute us, and steal
This freedom away-we will fight as fiercely as they
Should any try-and would rather die than give it away.
This is how we need honor them, each and every day:
To live as they would have, in each and every way.
They did not die in vain, they perished as noble defenders
Of Liberty at all costs, in a world of raucous pretenders.
Their Valor was as uncommon as they were brave;
Due this Gallantry, Freedom and Democracy were saved
From the depths of tyranny, and totalitarian subjugation-
Not the cornerstones upon which to build a nation!
We, the 'many', need always appreciate 'the few, the brave':
Their sacrifice ensures that the flag shall always wave!
-Maurice Harris,29 May 2012
poem by Maurice Harris
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Rebirth of a Nation!
Oh Flag of America, I see your colors bleeding like running tears. Why are you so sad?
“My children have lost their Innocence, their Courage has fled, and Justice has died in their bosoms.”
Oh Flag of America, oh Flag of America you are fading away! What can be done
to restore your brilliance?
“Light the torch of Valor once again, and give it to the pure that remain, the few who remember me in all my gaiety. Send them to burn down into ashes the pillars of corruption and as the ashes scatter to the winds the name of Justice shall ring through the
Night.”
Oh Flag of America, I find no one pure, there is no Valor left to spark the flame of Justice. What do we do now?
“Oh sudden fall! All is lost without the pure, only they can wake the slumbering perseverance of old. Oh young one, you cannot remember how we used to stand vigilant with Justice as a fiery guide, Valor our shield, and Purity the rock upon which we stood.
Oh, the foul waters of corruption have shifted the soil 'neath us, now we tilt and sway.
Unless the pure awaken and steady the rock, we shall tip o'er and vanish like snow ‘neat Spring's sunlight.”
Oh Flag of America, I am young, but I know that which you speak of. Let me carry your torch of Valor and set Justice free!
“Hark! I hear the voice of a pure one, I hear the cracks forming in the pillars as they vainly fight against the flames of Justice! Oh children of America! Children of America! You once again stand upon solid rock! Your Valor has turned the skies crimson, your Purity has turned the earth white, and Justice has dyed the waters a deeper blue! America, America, the Lord of Hosts is pleased, for those who were pure have crushed the Serpents head! ”
Oh Flag of America! How brightly you shine now! You have become more brilliant than all the gems of the earth!
“America you have made me so.”
poem by Tolly Rebeka Christian BlackWolf Hawk
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Warriors
The soul speaks from a warrior's spirit
Chants of war, execution of arts
In gruesome battle, one fears it
Death is when war starts
Agony cries god is pain
Brutality lords the field
Innocence killed hearts slain
Other hearts to ferocity yield
Strange calm, war mediation
Prayers to the brave
Tears in formation
Bodies march to the grave
Acts remembered, bodies burn
Ancient drum rolls
Human valor they earn
The valor of dead souls!
Archangels of war's path
Passion engulfs nature's law
The heart of war's wrath
The most dangerous organ man saw
Fight, fight, fight
Violence man's only right
Kill, kill, kill
The enemy and blood shall spill
Into earth's soil
Man's real home
Man's bloody ego
To live in loam
With souls dead long ago
Total war
What man's malice is for
poem by Kevin Michael Murphy
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In A Soldier...You Will Find...
In a soldier...
Loyalty and strength you see.
In a soldier...
Discipline, bravery.
In a soldier...
A world that is free.
In a soldier..
Sacrifice, so the world can be free.
In a soldier...
No compromise.
In a soldier...
Courage in his eyes.
In a soldier...
A special bond.
In a soldier...
Iraq, Viet-Nam.
In a soldier...
Sad, drooped eyes.
In a soldier...
Pain, when a buddy dies.
In a soldier...
Terrible places.
In a soldier...
Tough, grim faces.
In a soldier...
Stories untold.
In a soldier...
Action makes him old.
In a soldier...
Dark, frightening nights.
In a soldier...
Missing his lovely wife.
In a soldier...
Memories of a decent life.
In a soldier...
Scars deep in the mind.
In a soldier...
An exploding mine.
In a soldier...
The thrill of leaving war.
In a soldier...
No more pains anymore.
In a soldier...
No more tears.
In a soldier...
Leaving war, after a long, trying year.
poem by Philip Lore
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Soldier Going To The War
Soldier going to the war--
Will you take my heart with you,
So that I may share a little
In the famous things you do?
Soldier going to the war--
If in battle you must fall,
Will you, among all the faces,
See my face the last of all?
Soldier coming from the war--
Who shall bind your sunburnt brow
With the laurel of the hero,
Soldier, soldier--vow for vow!
Soldier coming from the war--
When the street is one wide sea,
Flags and streaming eyes and glory--
Soldier, will you look for me?
poem by Richard Le Gallienne
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A Soldiers Dream
A soldier isn't just a soldier,
but a human being.
sent to fight over seas,
Sent to fight to please his leaders dream,
and as this soldier gets older, his only dream is to live.
But as years pass by, his hopes and dreams are thorn apart,
as he is sent to run to reach the other side,
as he runs through the open battlefield,
were the enemy waits for the kill.
And as this soldier stops and prays, the enemy is moved by this soldiers face.
The enemy lets this soldier flee,
know this soldier is free,
free to live his own dream.
poem by Juan Duarte
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Soldier
The soldier, he has many battle scars.
But there's only a few, others can see.
The wounds, they did not kill him,
They made him who he was called to be.
Although some of his battles were easy,
Through each of his battles he died.
The pieces, which were his true enemy.
Were the pieces that did not survive.
When the soldier, he goes into battle,
He must know who his enemies are.
They are the ones that would harm another,
And make the soldier, seem like he, was the star.
It is only once you discover the enemy,
The march to victory, then can begin.
For the war that the soldier is fighting.
Is the battle he fights from within.
In each of us there is a soldier.
And each day, we fight the good fight.
For the ones who walk into victory,
Are the ones who find their true light.
poem by Ryan Lee Morris
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I was a Soldier once
Old, tired, physically worn out,
With every move my muscles shout.
Woodworking, gardening, lazing about,
nothing to do but widdle and pout.
I was a Soldier once, large and strong,
I was a Soldier once, doing no wrong.
I was a Soldier once, fighting your war,
I was a Soldier once, mighty to the core.
I sit behind a desk now, slowly getting fat,
Knowing where I should really be settling my hat.
This civilian life I live, is so deadly to me,
I should, again, be a soldier, a sight to see.
I was a Soldier once, Yes Sir, No Sir, anything you say Sir.
I was a Soldier once; it was the life I preferred.
I was a Soldier once, leading from the saddle.
I was a Soldier once, living in my battle rattle.
Those that have never been one shall never know.
Those that put them down can basically go blow.
In this day and age, Soldiers protect our Freedom
In this day and age, everyone should be one.
I know this because,
I was a Soldier once, protecting you and yours.
I was a Soldier once, with back to back fighting tours.
I was a Soldier once, dying for the American way.
and although I was a Soldier once,
I should be a Soldier Now, fighting for you every day.
poem by Rik Bertrand
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Mundane
The definition
Normal
Just a rendition
Of average life, boring enough to lull
You into a sleep of mediocrity
Settling for second or third best, because it's easy
Not having an opinion just being unstable and breezy
And silent like the wind... that's me
The kid that's just there and then
Then just gone, no more
Not something to abhor, but worse- unknown
Talent not shown
Intelligence, not shown
Character, not shown
Promise not shown
And stuck with mundane
Stuck without a chance to prove
Just who
I am, because of silence, because of pain
But one day I'll show them, who I am one day
In a world less fey
They'll see when silence doesn't suppress
The person inside
In that day when there's no reason to hide
But for now mundane
All my efforts in vain
But hoping for something more
Even for
Eternity
poem by David Knox
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Move home move dust
Go - no shelter will ever deny
Go - no word will ever define
Those who have no home
Away – no hand will wave goodbye
Away – each land is good enough to die
Hide- no hide can bear a naked skin
Hide – the first day to the last is kin
Shield – no word will shield the screams on edge
Shield – no road will cover your silent pledge
poem by Miroslava Odalovic
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And I Thank You...
A young soldier takes a deep breath before battle,
Now millions of miles away from the golden plains and the cattle,
Fearing for his life, and another battle loss,
He closes his eyes, and grips tight on his golden cross.
The sergeant yells, and he gets into line,
The troop marches to the battlefield, early morning, about nine,
With sweat running down their faces, and dirt in their hair,
The men look to the sky, and say a silent prayer.
A grenade explodes and the troop scurries on the run,
The young soldier hides in a foxhole, griping onto his gun,
He pops up, but too much smoke he can’t see,
Squinting as hard as he can to find the enemy.
The day is gone, and the young soldier still holds his gun to his shoulder,
Bruised and battered, he feels the night become colder,
As he looks to his left, he wants to break down and cry,
Because he had to watch his best friend get shot, and then he died.
The stale scent of tragedy in the air hovers,
Because this young soldier lost many of his band of brothers,
And now the enemy has fallen back with a retreat,
Because they now know that they have been beat.
You fought for the red, white, and blue,
And for this I greatly thank you,
You fought to allow me to speak my mind freely behind this ballpoint pen,
So once again I thank you, my hero, my dear veteran.
poem by Ryan McNicholas
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