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May 28, 2007
Memorial Day 2007
The Sheepdogs
Most humans truly are like sheep
Wanting nothing more than peace to keep
To graze, grow fat and raise their young,
Sweet taste of clover on the tongue.
Their lives serene upon Life’s farm,
They sense no threat nor fear no harm.
On verdant meadows, they forage free
With naught to fear, with naught to flee.
They pay their sheepdogs little heed
For there is no threat; there is no need.
To the flock, sheepdog’s are mysteries,
Roaming watchful round the peripheries.
These fang-toothed creatures bark, they roar
With the fetid reek of the carnivore,
Too like the wolf of legends told,
To be amongst our docile fold.
Who needs sheepdogs? What good are they?
They have no use, not in this day.
Lock them away, out of our sight
We have no need of their fierce might.
But sudden in their midst a beast
Has come to kill, has come to feast
The wolves attack; they give no warning
Upon that calm September morning
They slash and kill with frenzied glee
Their passive helpless enemy
Who had no clue the wolves were there
Far roaming from their Eastern lair.
Then from the carnage, from the rout,
Comes the cry, “Turn the sheepdogs out!”
Thus is our nature but too our plight
To keep our dogs on leashes tight
And live a life of illusive bliss
Hearing not the beast, his growl, his hiss.
Until he has us by the throat,
We pay no heed; we take no note.
Not until he strikes us at our core
Will we unleash the Dogs of War
Only having felt the wolf pack’s wrath
Do we loose the sheepdogs on its path.
And the wolves will learn what we’ve shown before;
We love our sheep, we Dogs of War.
Russ Vaughn
2d Bn, 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment
101st Airborne Division
Vietnam 65-66
Posted by LindaSoG at May 28, 2007 07:56 AM
Comments
Thank god this country still has some sheepdogs
Hi Linda, have a wonderful day
Posted by: cuchieddie at May 28, 2007 11:56 AM
The sheepdogs become rarer and rarer, as more wolves enter the pasture. Soon the sheep will have to fight or perish.
Posted by: TomR at May 28, 2007 01:35 PM
I don't usually care much for poetry but that was really good.
Posted by: Rene at May 28, 2007 03:00 PM
One more thing our soldiers rarely get credit for: possessing in abundance the pure distillation of honor, compassion and a taste for verse.
Posted by: Kevin M at May 28, 2007 05:17 PM
Those who never plant the seeds of freedom always reap the crop of freedom earned at the expense of those who do. Reaping what you sow infers to experience the results of your own actions. Looking at our leadership it's easy to see they'll feed the sheep to the wolves, remember Norway's Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling. Great poem by Russ. Thank you Linda.
Posted by: Jack at May 28, 2007 09:14 PM
I am thankful to the Sheepdogs....
GOD Bless America
I SUPPORT OUR TROOPS and their mission
Posted by: Daniel Hildoer at May 31, 2007 02:53 AM
I have real, true sheepdogs, right? Kuvaszok? They are great, huge, long haired, flop earred, white dogs. They love so hard it makes me feel guilty sometimes. They can be fierce beyond imagining. A litter brother of my Chiran ("ferryman who takes people to Hades") won a standup fight with a cougar. This guy probably never heard of a Kuvasz; but, he captured their essence. I know we, as a society, forget our sheepdogs sometimes. And, when you need one, nothing else will do.
Regards,
Sarah, it made me cry
Posted by: Sarah Triplett at May 31, 2007 12:32 PM
I'm a bit late, but that was incredible.
Brought tears to my eyes.
Our Dogs of War, past, present and future will always be my heroes.
Thank you to all of our troops, who keep watch over us.
Posted by: Melissa In Texas at May 31, 2007 10:38 PM
The picture at the top of your poem is a picture of my father. I've grown up looking at it all my life. The 8x10 that was always in the hall closet. Where did you find it? And thanks for the sight. His name is Charles Price.
Posted by: Stephen Price at July 2, 2007 09:49 PM
Wow. Thnak you to both Mr. Price and Russ Vaughn
Posted by: jane at July 2, 2007 10:35 PM
Dear Mr. Price:
I originally posted your Father's photograph, with the same poem, for Memorial Day, 2005, its been so long, I'm afraid I don't remember where I got it.
The photograph is one of the most poignant I have seen, and it touched me. I am so glad you don't mind that I posted it.
If you tell me your Father's rank, and unit, I would be happy to put that information, along with his name, with the photo.
All my best,
Linda
Posted by: LindaSoG at July 3, 2007 06:43 AM