The Patch on My Back

My vest is full of patches both old and new;
Representing places I’ve been and things I do;
 
Most on the front and layered in a stack;
But none say more than the patch on my back;
 
I earned it in battle as a Combat Vet,
It serves as a constant reminder to Never Forget;
 
The first thing you’ll notice is the Skull and Spade,
A reminder that the debt of war is never paid;
 
Every color has a meaning and a story to tell;
And every story has a meaning we know all too well;
 
To show unity as Warriors we use the Military Gold;
For every Branch of Service both new and old;
 
Red represents the blood that my Brothers and Sisters have bled;
Not all known by me, but a tear for each I have shed;
 
With heavy hearts we display the symbolic color Black;
For the Missing, the Prisoners and those who never made it back;
 
Yes, I know it’s just a patch – made of cloth and thread;
But because of what it means I’ll respect it until the day I’m dead!