"When I grow up I'm sure that I
Will be a soldier, too.
And I'll try real hard to be as brave
As my grandpa was, and you."

The veteran stood alone by the fence till the little boy was inside.
And then he dropped his head, and he stood there and he cried.
He gave silent thanks  for those who fought, and the price their courage paid.
And for little boys like Joey, and the lessons that they gave.

And when he raised his head this time, he stood a little taller.
And as he started back down the hill, the grief he felt was smaller.
For pride was shining in his eyes, right beside the tears.
And a heartfelt 'Thank you' from a little boy, that would help him through the years.

My grandpa died in Vietnam,
He was killed when his chopper went down.
He was trying to help some soldiers
Who were trapped there on the ground."

"I don't remember what happened then,
What took the chopper down.
But, daddy said he saved the lives
Of the men there on the ground."

"Last year in May my dad and I
We went  to see The Wall.
It was long and black and shiny,
And Mister, it was tall!""

"And when  we found my grandpa's name,
My daddy stood and cried.
He told that every name on that  Wall
Was someone who had died."

"He told me freedom isn't free,
It has a tremendous price.
It cost lives and blood and courage,
It costs bravery and sacrifice."

"Now, I'm not sure what all that means,
But I think it costs a lot.
And so I try to be thankful
For everything I've got."

"I have to go back in now,
Teacher's at the door.
But Mister, I want to thank you
For fighting in the War."

Joey
by Cheryl Huston

A tired looking veteran limped up to the school,
And he said to himself, "Man, you're a fool."
"If you believe these kids give a damn
About what happened in Vietnam."

"They don't care about all those who died,
About honor and courage and all the tears cried.
They only care about TV and games,
Not a granite wall that's covered with names."

"They probably think that freedom comes free,
And don't even know of the thousands like me
Who answered the call, and paid such a price,
To them it's just history, not worth a thought twice."

A little boy wandered up to the fence,
And the words the boy said, he's remembered ever since,
"My name's Joey, and I'll be in third grade,
I've seen you before, you watched while we played."

Joey said,  "Mister you walk kind of funny
and you don't have a hand.
Mister did that happen
in a place called Vietnam?"

"My grandpa was a soldier once
a long, long time ago.
My dad said he was brave,
and I guess that he should know."