TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
 

A close friend sent me this, I though I would share it with everyone.


TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.



FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."


ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan

With Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities.Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Let's all wish our Soldiers a Merry Christmas to them and their familys

Thanks for that. Our soldiers are never far from my mind.

Damn good poem. Those guys never get enough credit. Even if you don't agree support our troops.

Very good poem. Chills down the spine.

Wow, that was very good.

That made me a little misty eyed. Excuse me for a moment....

I recieved this poem in an email a friend sent me this morning. I was going to post it but I'm glad to see it's already here. Let's all keep our soldiers, past and present, in our thoughts and hope their familys have a Merry Christmas.

This brought a little tear to my eye. Thanks for the reminder that there are people who put their very lives on the line so we can enjoy all that we have.
Best wishes to them and their families.

Great twist on the 'Night Before Christmas'. It's sad, but uplifting too. The original poem never brought a tear to my eyes like this one did. Thanks for posting the poem.

Excellent poem. I'm more of a Dove than a Hawk and think Ghandi had it right and Arafat is misguided. Still, it's nice to know there are men and women who are willing to give their lives to protect the freedoms we enjoy every day.
Thank you ICER.

Excellent poem. Having been in the service and gone for a long time and missing many holidays, I know the feeling. No matter your politics, we need to remember our troops and support them. they are just following orders and can't choose where to go.

Excellent, thank you for posting it. It is already on its way to several other people.

Man, I got the chills up and down the spine reading this one. I do support our troops who sacrifice their lives to protect the freedoms we all have as Americans.

I only hope I soon see a solder standing in line to buy lunch, so I can say thank you and pay for his lunch.

Yeah, very nice poem.

Thanks - this is one that needs to reappear every year about this time!