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.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> The following is his request. I think it is reasonable.....
> >>>>>> PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as
> >>>>>> many people as you can? 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. Please, do
> your
> >>>>>> small part to plant this small seed
