"Grandpa, what is that shiny penny sitting on the side?", Grandpa took a sad deep sigh before he finally replied

"That penny dear, you cannot spend, no wealth it's worth at all, but riches still it holds for me, it is my great world war medal."

Excitement filled this brave young heart and yearned for more did he, to hear of Grandpa's medal and his great world war story.

"Tell me grandpa about the war, what was it like?" the question came, and Grandpa's eyes looked strange to him, for he'd never looked on shame

"My dear, the war was many years ago, before your dad was born, and was myself barely a man when from my father torn.

We filed up by the hundreds and by the thousands went away, to find a place named Victory in which to spend the day.

The search was long and cold it was, each days hard march onward, both hands and feet each day became so blistered with new blood.

And then one day we found that place and jubilant we were, In Victory we rested, in search of it no more."

"But what about the medal, was it for bravey Grandpa?" And Grandpa drooped his head before lifting it to start

"For doing what I had to do, no matter how I felt; for turning my heart into ice, so that a bit will never melt"

"Grandpa, if it was so long ago, why does your medal look so new, and so shiny sitting on the side for everyone to view?"

"My dear, we went to war in thousands, that retruned just one or two, and that just one was your Grandpa, I am glad for me and you.

But for the many left behind and many that I took, their lives I see in this medal, when at it's shiny surface look. You see, every night I hold it, in my hand and in my mind, and teardrops fall upon it, and what I wipe away is shined.

War brings only sin and shame, though duty must be done, but sin and shame to sorrow turn when the war in finally won."

Two pairs of eyes held water on their rims prepared to fall, and silent words expounded from the youngest pair of all; I see that war is terrible but that a little can be won; my love for you forever, that I can be a proud grandson.