The Nameless Pioneers
By Gunslinger
The Nameless Pioneers A victim of a blizzard, perhaps the burning sand-Or cornered by Apaches, with a pistol in his hand.Bitten by a rattler, to die there all alone…The only thing to tell the tale, a pile of bleaching bones.Perhaps he fell in battle, wearing blue, or maybe gray-Perhaps a comrade near him, heard the bullet, saw him sway.Perhaps he fell in Germany, or maybe even France,Or on the beach at Normandy, without a fighting chance.Perhaps it was the fever, out on the western trail-Or cholera, or smallpox, that caused the man to fail.Whatever may have slain him, be sure he did his best-It was the nameless pioneers who opened up the West.Perhaps he died with Bowie, there at the Alamo-A name now etched in granite, and little more to show…He made have rode with Custer, to die out on the plain-Memorials and tombstones, are all that now remain.It doesn’t really matter, the fact is that he died-It’s better far to try and fail, than never to have tried…The measure of a man I guess, is do your very best-It was the nameless pioneers who opened up the West. Written November 25th, 2001 © on Nov 24 2001 04:05 PM PST, John R. Yaws 0 • 10
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"The Nameless Pioneers A victim of a blizzard, perhaps the burning sand-Or cornered by Apaches, with a pistol in his hand.Bitten by a rattler, to die there all alone…The only thing to tell the tale, a pile of bleaching bones.Perhaps he fell in battle, wearing blue, or maybe gray-Perhaps a comrade near him, heard the bullet, saw him sway.Perhaps he fell in Germany, or maybe even France,Or on the beach at Normandy, without a fighting chance.Perhaps it was the fever, out on the western trail-Or cholera, or smallpox, that caused the man to fail.Whatever may have slain him, be sure he did his best-It was the nameless pioneers who opened up the West.Perhaps he died with Bowie, there at the Alamo-A name now etched in granite, and little more to show…He made have rode with Custer, to die out on the plain-Memorials and tombstones, are all that now remain.It doesn’t really matter, the fact is that he died-It’s better far to try and fail, than never to have tried…The measure of a man I guess, is do your very best-It was the nameless pioneers who opened up the West...."