chap
11-19-2007, 05:45 PM
New Christmas Poem
> >
> > 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.
> >
> > 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.