The Final Inspection

A dead soldier was facing God,
For lives will always pass;
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.

\"Step forward, now
How shall I deal with you;
Have you always turned the other cheek,
To my bible always true?\"

The soldier snapped to attention,
\"No, Lord, I guess I aint;
It seems that we who carry guns,
Can\'t always be a saint.\"

\"I\'ve had to work most Sundays,
My work was always rough;
At times I have been violent,
Because the job was tough.\"

\"But, I never took a penny,
That wasn\'t mine to keep;
Though I worked a lot of overitme,
When my bills became to steep.\"

\"I never passed a cry for help,
But often shook with fears,
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I have wept unmanly tears.\"

\"I know I don\'t deserve a place,
Among these good folks here;
They never wanted me around,
Unless a war was near.\"

\"But if you have room for me,
It need not be too grand;
I never had, or needed much,
Im sure you understand.\"

A silence fell around that throne,
Where saints had often trod;
The dead soldier, with baited breath,
Feared judgement from his God.

\"Step forward now, U.S. soldier,
You\'ve borne your burdens well;
Walk peacefully on Heaven\'s streets,
You\'ve done you\'re time in hell.\"

****
I didn\'t write this, heard it on Extreme Makeover Home Edition. It was hanging in the home of a soldier