He hands the bulletins at eight And seats the latecomers with care; His shoes still shine, his back stays straight, As if a sergeant watched him there.
She tends the counter at the bank And knows your children’s names by heart; She learned to steer a rolling tank Through dust that blew the stars apart.
The man who fixed your screen door latch And whistles hymns behind the till Still cups his hand around a match Against a wind that blows there still.
They seldom say where they have been, Or why they rise before the dawn; They keep a snapshot, creased and thin, Of boys who grin with helmets on.
And somewhere, someone kept a light And wrote on onionskin each week, And prayed through every sleepless night For one more chance to hear them speak.
On Main Street when November comes, They walk a little slower now; The high school band rolls out its drums, And old hands rise from side to brow.
So stop and talk a little while, And give the thanks they won’t request; A plain “thank you,” a friendly smile, May be the medal they love best.
Dear Lord, who knows each soldier’s name And keeps the watches of the night, Grant peace to all who went and came, And keep the fallen in Your light.
So Sunday, when you climb the stair And he stands waiting at the door, Just take his hand and linger there; He held the line for us before.
Reading this aloud?
- Good for
- A Veterans Day service, a Sunday school class or a senior center November gathering
- Time
- About 2 minutes read aloud
- Fits a lesson on
- honoring veterans, gratitude, quiet service, remembering the fallen
Tip: Pause after each portrait stanza to let the hidden past land, slow down for the prayer stanza beginning "Dear Lord," and deliver the final line, "He held the line for us before," softly.
Questions to talk about
- Which of the people in the poem reminded you of someone you know, and why?
- Why do you think the veterans in the poem seldom talk about where they have been?
- What did the family members back home, who wrote letters and prayed, give up during wartime?
- What are some simple ways we could thank the veterans in our church or neighborhood this November?
Lead a group every week? Get the free large-print Read-Aloud Pack, four stories with questions and memory care prompts, ready to print.
From inspire21.com/the-veterans-next-door/
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