I can't let Zero's latest, with its mention of LTC Grossman and the "sheepdog" meme, pass without refreshing your memory about a Russ Vaughn classic. I first saw Sheepdogs here on Blackfive, where Russ explained that it was inspired by LTC Grossman's On Sheep, Sheepdogs, and Wolves. I've posted it before on at least one of my earlier sites, but rather than do the "STV Classics" thing again I'm going to opt for a a cleaner post here. I'll also mention that in birthing this site we seriously considered the site name "Old Sheepdogs" based on the strength of LTC Grossman's essay and this poem. Enjoy.

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

Click here to see the entire STV Russ Vaughn Collection, which will remain archived there for at least as long as this site exists.

Contributed by Bill Faith on July 9, 2006 at 07:29 AM in Best of Old War Dogs, Bill Faith, Poetry, Russ Vaughn, The American Warrior | Permalink

Comments

Posted by: Jim Bartimus

Thanks for the heads up on that one Bill and I'll be adding it to my RV collection as well. I never did care much for poetry, because most of the stuff just didn't sound right or make much sense to me. Russ is a different story, he speaks from the heart and is always on target. The Sheep Dogs don't even come close to that old dog. They know better, or they should anyhow.
Have a nice day BF and we'll keep the guard dogs fed.
Regards
JB

Posted by: Jim Bartimus | Jul 9, 2006 10:54:27 AM

Posted by: Ponsdorf

Yep, by accident or design the two posts compliment each other nicely. Well done.

Posted by: Ponsdorf | Jul 9, 2006 3:31:02 PM