Poems To Honor Veterans

Published: November 2019

Poems About Veterans For Veterans Day

14 Poems About Veterans For Veterans Day

In the United States, we celebrate Veterans Day on November 11th every year. It was first celebrated as Armistice Day on November 11, 1919, a year after the armistice agreement was made between Germany and Allied forces to cease fighting during World War I. The Great War ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. The ending of WWI was formalized on June 28, 1919, with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.

Veterans Day (or Armistice Day) was first celebrated on the first anniversary of the end of World War I, which makes 2019 the 100th anniversary of this holiday.

In the United States, Veterans Day is a holiday to thank veterans for their services. The focus is on living veterans, as opposed to Memorial Day, which is a day to remember those who gave their lives for our country.

The United Kingdom and some other countries celebrate this holiday as Remembrance Day. Two minutes of silence is observed at 11am on November 11th to remember all those who have died during war.

No matter how you celebrate this holiday, it’s a wonderful time to be thankful for the brave men and women who have served their countries.

This collection is filled with poems to celebrate veterans and honor them for their service.

Be sure to check out our Memorial Day Poems and other War Poems

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    I am a published author who loves to use my talents to encourage and inspire! This poem was written to encourage and to honor our US Veterans, active and non-active. I wish to thank them in writing this poem to let them know how much they are appreciated for their sacrifice and time! Men and women who are serving or have served deserve the gratitude today!

    We Honor You Today

    • By Susan R. Smith
    • Published: May 2017

    in Memorial Day Poems

    To all of our veterans
    Far and near.
    We thank you for your service
    For all those years.

    You sacrificed your time,
    And some gave your life.
    You preserved our freedom
    By willingly paying the price.

    Many of you
    Were sent overseas.
    You were wounded in battle,
    With scars and disease.

    But courageous and brave,
    You weathered the storm.
    You faced every battle
    With faith and beyond.

    We honor you with joy
    For all that you've done.
    You stood strong for our country,
    For our daughters and sons.

    So no one stands alone,
    We walk hand in hand.
    Remember, we are with you.
    Together we shall stand.

    We salute you today.
    Hear what we say.
    Let our words speak eloquently
    In this special way.

    On this day,
    Let us express our love and thanks
    For the sacrifice you paid.
    You served in honor
    For many years and days,
    And we will never forget
    How you were strong and brave.

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    I wrote this about a year after my husband came home from Afghanistan. I couldn't write or speak about it for a long time. This was the first time I wrote a little about my heartache during that time.

    A Soldier

    Poem About Loving A Soldier

    in Long Distance Poems

    He says he's leaving.
    He'll be gone about a year.
    He's headed off to fight the war,
    And his time is drawing near.

    I have no words of wisdom
    To ease our aching hearts.
    He'll be gone and I'll be here,
    A thousand miles apart.

    The danger that soldiers face,
    He knows it all too well.
    Still, he keeps our spirits up,
    As our throats begin to swell.

    The morning comes all too fast;
    I'm not prepared at all,
    Because I know there is a chance
    My soldier won't come home.

    My soldier is a strong man,
    One that's brave and true.
    He's not afraid of dying.
    He fights for me and you.

    So if you see a soldier,
    Give him lots of praise.
    Tell him that you're thankful,
    You see the price we pay.

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    My fiancee is in the Air Force (pilot), currently in Israel. He was supposed to come home in April, after being there a year. But he was offered a promotion last minute. He decided to take it...

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    I wrote this poem for my dad in 2015. He's a Vietnam veteran. I found out that May is Military Appreciation Month, so I sent him a text every day thanking him for something in regards to his service. This was the text on day 15. My dad has since passed away, but I still find myself longing to tell him "thank you" once last time.

    The Life Of A Soldier

    in War Poems

    We have an understanding, you and I.
    We sit in silence; nothing needs to be said.

    I know the weight you carry.
    You hold your head high, but inside you cry.

    The life of a soldier is not an easy one.

    Memories haunt you!
    But you stand tall and show no fear.

    The life of a soldier is not an easy one.

    You hear voices of days past come rushing to your head.
    You think to yourself, "He was a good one; why is he dead?"

    You wonder if you should have done things differently.
    No time to think, only react.

    The life of a soldier is not an easy one.

    The guilt is too much to bear.
    Although you were wounded, you question,

    "Why him and not me?"
    You can't forget the faces that were there.

    The life of a soldier is not an easy one.

    We have an understanding, you and I.
    You're a soldier for life; and it has not been an easy one.

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    Our World War Two veterans are dying at the rate of more than a thousand a week. I wrote this song (yes, it has a melody) as a tribute to them, and the faith that got them through. God bless all who fought for their families, their nation, and their God.

    Take Me Home

    Saying Goodbye To Our Veterans

    in Home Poems

    In the summer of '32
    A little boy, 6 years old,
    Separated from his Mama
    In a five and ten-cent store,
    And he cries as he tries to find her.
    At last, he runs to her arms.
    As she holds him close, he says, "Mama, take me home."

    Take me home, take me home.
    I'm so tired, take me home
    To the place where I am loved, where I'll never be alone.
    Take me home, take me home.
    I'm so tired, take me home,
    I'm leaning on your arms to take me home.

    In the winter of '44,
    In the war-torn town of Bastogne,
    Shivering in a foxhole,
    The young man waits all alone.
    All his buddies have fallen around him,
    Their blood spilled red on the snow.
    As the bullets fly, he prays, "Lord, get me home."

    Take me home, take me home.
    I'm so tired, take me home
    To the child I've never seen. Lord, I want to watch her grow.
    Take me home, take me home.
    I'm so tired, take me home,
    I'm leaning on Your arms to take me home.

    Well, the years go by, and God does not fail.
    The young man and his family grow
    'Til the day he's a grandpa, telling his grandson
    'Bout his wartime days in the snow.
    "Grandpa, weren't you afraid they would get you?
    When you wanted to hide, where'd you go?"
    Grandpa smiles and says,
    "Boy, to the best friend I'll ever know."

    In the Springtime of '05,
    A man full of years, grown old,
    His body is swiftly failing,
    But his family is safely grown,
    And his wife has gone on before him.
    He knows that his time has come,
    He smiles and says, "Lord, when You're ready....take me home."

    Take me home, take me home.
    I'm so tired, take me home
    To the place where I am loved, where my loved ones all will go.
    Take me home, take me home.
    Lord, I'm tired, take me home.
    I'm leaning on Your arms to take me home.
    I'm leaning on Your arms to take me....home.

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    A limerick for our veterans

    Veterans Day Limerick

    in War Poems

    There are times we want to forget,
    Like when troubles and sadness we've met,
    But this day in November
    We'll always remember
    The heroes to whom we're in debt.

    They were young, full of life and ambition,
    But some dreams never reached their fruition.
    With their lives put on hold,
    They were daring and bold
    And accomplished their ultimate mission.

    Most returned when the battle had ended,
    Some with wounds that would never be mended.
    Many others did not,
    Having died where they fought
    While ensuring our home was defended.

    But in spirit they'll always be here.
    To our hearts they will always be near.
    While our eyes may be wet,
    We will never forget.
    Let's remember each day of the year.

    War is with us again on this day.
    We have daughters and sons in the fray,
    So let's wish them Godspeed
    And the wisdom we'll need
    So they'll never again go away.

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    So many in my family went to war. And most came back. I am lucky and want to recognize all the people who have lost their lives to protect you.

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    I've spoken to many vets who heard the call years ago to fight for freedom for others who are now hearing it call once again.

    The Voice

    The Voice Of Freedom

    in War Poems

    A young boy playing games of war,
    His imaginings filled with innocence, unaware of reality's horror.

    He heard a voice filled with cadences being sung like hymns,
    Of how the good guys always win.

    A young man dreams of being a soldier,
    A call to carry others' burdens on his shoulders.

    A voice rising from deep within,
    To right the wrongs of others' sin.

    He heard the enemy's stirring and unrest,
    And returned home with medals pinned upon his chest.

    Now a vet, he carries the scars from battle,
    Though never appearing to be rattled.

    He sat in a chair in his living room,
    While off in the distance eerie whispers grew.

    The moanings of those who had never left his mind,
    Those who were forever stuck in time.

    They called his name while formless shadows creeped,
    And nightmarish footsteps creaked.

    He heard the voices of soldiers he once had known,
    Ghosts of those who never made it home.

    But now there's a voice calling his name,
    One that can no longer be restrained.

    A voice that was heard long ago when freedom began to call,
    A voice that knew freedom's cost would not be understood by all.

    It's crying out with a warning as some are unaware,
    "Freedom is being threatened and won't be easily repaired!

    Don't let the suffering be in vain,
    Remind them freedom's cost was heartache and bloodstains!

    Freedom is under attack!
    Once it's gone, you'll never get it back!"

    He heard a voice that is beginning to fade,
    Though over and over the ultimate price has been paid.

    He answered the call, and he knows the cost,
    But some won't understand until freedom is lost.

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    This poem is dedicated to the veterans of the U.S. military and their families.

    Fallen Heroes

    • By Roger Loiseau
    • Published: November 2019
    Poem About Honoring Military Veterans

    in War Poems

    Fallen heroes one by one,
    In the news there's another one.
    Whether they fight or whether they are on call,
    It's time to thank them once and for all.

    To all you soldiers across the land,
    Whether on call or in the promised land,
    You're in our hearts, you're in our souls.
    We thank you greatly as the conflicts unfold.

    Fallen heroes one by one,
    Let's pray to God there's not another one.
    Whether they fought for our freedom or whether they are on call,
    It's time to thank them one and all.

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    PTSD is not new. It actually had been referred to as "shell shock" in the earlier days. The condition is not confined to those who served in combat because trauma can exist in everyday life. What better demonstrates that than the citizens of the Ukraine? This poem is about such a condition, but in this case, it refers to the combat soldier. PTSD should not be considered a disorder or a disease. It is more of a state of mind, and it is something to which I have firsthand knowledge.

    PTSD Is Real

    The Trials Of The Veteran

    in War Poems

    Behold the aging soldier. He's grown longer in the tooth.
    He wears the scars of battle that had squandered all his youth.
    Although his war has ended, he finds much to his dismay.
    The demons that now haunt him just don't seem to go away.
    He performed his duty proudly as he served his time in hell.
    The nightmares still upset him, but he hides it very well.
    He tries to carry happy thoughts when he lays down to sleep.
    But they all will soon turn ugly 'cause his wounds are far too deep.
    Outsiders just don't realize what may happen to these vets.
    Their memories often fill them with a ton of life's regrets.
    Try to keep them in your prayers so peace is what they find.
    So many of them can't go on and they often lose their mind.

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    This short poem for Veterans Day is to give honor to the many selfless heroes who sacrificed themselves in so many ways and in so many wars throughout history so that we can live in freedom. Many of the heroes will carry those scars forever! Freedom isn't really free. Our heroes fought and sacrificed all for the price of our freedom!

    Mr. Leather

    In Honor Of Veterans

    in War Poems

    From year to year he drifts alone.
    His story only few have known.

    About a boy who went to war,
    and there he stayed forevermore.

    His leathered skin and graying hair,
    his tattered clothes and gazing stare,

    standing tall, yet head so low,
    he carries scars we'll never know.

    So know that our freedom isn't free.
    It came from heroes such as he!

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    My friend's dad was a WWII vet who was part of the 14th Armored Division serving under General Patton. They were known as the Liberators because they freed many POWs. A man came up to him many years after the war ended and recognized him as being the soldier who opened his cage.

    The Cage

    POW Camp In WWII

    in War Poems

    A man walked up to me some time ago.
    He had a story he wanted me to know.

    He reached out his hand to shake mine,
    And it took me back to a place and time.

    He told me he was a soldier in World War II,
    A POW in Moosburg; sad but true.

    As he began to tell the story, I could see in his eyes,
    He'd gone back to that place in his mind.

    He said "110,000 men walked through those gates.
    The Nazis were filled with nothing but hate.

    The camp was thronged
    And we knew our stay there would be long.

    The floor was hard and the nights were cold.
    Young men grew malnourished and old.

    They must have feared me because I was put in a cage,
    And all I could do was pray.

    I cannot tell you how many days I was there,
    Only that every day I said the same prayer.

    I asked the Lord to send someone our way,
    to get us out of there and take us far away.

    On April 25,1945,
    He sent someone just when I was ready to give up and die.

    The Fourteenth Armored Division came crashing through.
    It was The Liberators, with a job to do.

    They were there to set us free!"
    And with a smile he said, "Everyone erupted with glee.

    A soldier came running my way,
    And he reached down and opened my cage.

    After all these years I never forgot that man's face or what he did for me.
    My only regret, I didn't get to thank him when I got up from bended knee.

    Now he's standing in front of me shaking my hand.
    So thank you sir, because you were that man."

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    My father was a WWII POW. He struggled with the mental battle long after the physical battles had ended.

    The Soldier

    • By Gary S. Spears
    • Published: November 2019
    The Sacrifices Of Soldiers

    in War Poems

    I pledge allegiance to the American Flag; forever may she wave.
    God bless those covered with her as they're lowered to their grave.
    We must not take for granted the freedoms that we share
    and the soldiers that protect us in our darkest hour.
    Soldiers leave their loved ones to heed their country's call,
    ready to place their lives in danger, willing to give it all.
    Sleepless nights and endless days are common, but they know
    without the blood of patriots, the freedom tree won't grow.
    Through hail, rain, snow, and heat, blood, sweat, and tears,
    they march into the heat of battle, pushing aside their fears.
    When the physical battle is over, the mental battle begins.
    For some, it's only temporary, for others, it never ends,
    so pray for all of our soldiers, and let us never forget
    we can never repay them; we will always be in their debt.

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    My dad's funeral was the most beautiful I've ever seen. This is the account of that day.

    Final Salute

    A Military Funeral

    in Memorial Day Poems

    The honor guard stands sentinel and stiff-backed.
    Their tears silently fall, for their brotherhood was forged in combat.

    One of their own will be laid to rest,
    A tribute and honor given only to the best.

    As his family gathers near,
    His wife takes her place as she wipes away her tears.

    At the front, soldiers offer a salute,
    And the casket is draped in red white and blue.

    The red stripes are made redder by the courage in which he served,
    Defending our freedoms he fought to preserve.

    The white is made more pure by his devotion to duty,
    A bronze star he earned in the midst of the enemy's cruelty.

    The blue field and the stars are our great land and our ideals that he defended,
    Because of his love for the flag and what it represented.

    In unison, the firing party begins to volley
    A 21-gun salute, because a hero he embodied.

    And then in this hallowed ground,
    The melody of Taps begins to sound.

    There isn't a dry eye in this place,
    As emotion begins to overtake.

    The honor bell rings its solemn toll,
    And pride wells up within her soul.

    The flag is folded one last time and placed in her lap,
    Her lips quiver as she tries to hold the tears back.

    The soldier says, "Ma'am, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation
    For your loved one's service to our nation."

    As the final prayer is spoken and he's lowered in the ground,
    Two soldiers offer a final salute to this man who once stood so proud.

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    Jodi, your poems are all so beautiful. Have you considered putting together a manuscript of poems dedicated to our Veterans. I think it would be very well received. Think about it and look...

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    Too often we see the stranger in a fatigue jacket on the side of the road begging, and it is very easy to pass him off as a scam artist or bum. Could be! But news reports tell us that many veterans are found living under overpasses and cardboard box villages to just simply ignore. I wanted to say something about our (my) own negligence in this matter. I am a veteran. That could have been me on that corner.

    Brave American Knight

    • By David G. Moore
    • Published: November 2019
    A Forgotten Veteran

    in Inspirational Poems

    Driving home one day after hours of monotonous office work,
    Saw a man sitting by the road; looked as one down on his luck.
    Paid small notice to the figure; my lonely life was in a rut.
    He was just another beggar holding out a shiny tin cup.

    But something was rather uncharacteristic about this scene.
    His old camouflaged fatigues were those of a U.S. marine.
    No legs dangled from his wheelchair, but he sat tall, proud, and upright.
    Many ribbons bore evidence of America's finest knight.

    Walked up to the stranger - what was left of a man sitting there.
    No others near, just us two, and the pall of pathos in the air.
    His hair unkempt, a shaggy beard, he stared as each car would stop,
    Lest he miss a coin or, pray, a bill into his cup one might drop.

    In horror saw that the cup was held by an artificial hand.
    An ear had been severed; thumb on other hand, one eye was blind.
    He acknowledged my presence, tipped his military cap.
    As he did, I observed scars occupied most of his scalp.

    Asked how life brought him to this intersection on life's highway.
    From boot camp was deployed to "play in the sand" in land over there.
    "Sir," he said, "From high school my great desire was to serve my country.
    Fighting with my buddies one night, my jeep hit unseen IED."

    "In flames and smoke I fought to breathe; felt that my life was slipping on.
    Could barely hear, could scarcely see, and knew that my right arm was gone.
    My head was bleeding profusely; could not feel my legs or left hand.
    I begged God to let me die on the sands of Afghanistan."

    "The corpsman came with tears rolling down his face and with choking voice,
    Said soldier, it's your legs, I have to amputate, I have no choice.
    There are other injuries, got to rush; choppers are on our right,
    You hang in there, Marine; I salute you, brave American knight."

    The more he spoke, the colder the chills that ran up and down my spine.
    Thoughtlessness and selfishness exposed a depravity of mind.
    Self-pity, self-indulgence, resignation had poisoned my soul.
    Changed by man with no legs, he stands ten feet tall on my honor roll.

    Perhaps next time a soldier we meet at the mall or on the street,
    Honor and salute those who served, even died, that we may live free.
    Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy or Marine, guards of freedom's light.
    Grateful for those who wore the uniform, brave American knights.

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    What a beautiful poem. God bless all the veterans: dead, alive, and the ones still fighting. To all of you, a proud salute, my prayers, and love.

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    My father is a veteran. He served during peacetime. My little brother was little, maybe two or three, when he asked me why our father served. So I wrote this poem for my little brother, trying to explain it to him.

    Why Do They Fight?

    Why Do Veterans Serve?

    in War Poems

    Veterans are men and women,
    who fight because they care.
    They give their lives to serve our country,
    by land, by sea, or by air.

    They serve because they love us.
    They serve because
    they want a better future for their country,
    a better future for their world.

    Serving comes with consequences,
    that they know and are willing to dare.
    You can't find a braver person,
    here or anywhere.

    They fight for their rights.
    They fight for our lives,
    and we owe them all a thank you
    for all that they've sacrificed.

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