For Christmas

[Branch]

Submitted for your consideration
By Branch

'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.
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.

Dina Crowell

 

[Thomas]

Gary,
Nice....very nice!!
I shall pass it on!
Thank you.

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[LazyK]

Thanks BRANCH...appreciate your thoughts. I'm Air Force from a bit ago...I've passed your message on with Honor! Good on ya.

Lazy K - Chip

 

[Billc]

Branch,

My Father-in-Law was a Marine in his early years. Think his time in the Corps was the most important time in his life. He has always regretted getting out. He is a very successful businessman, but still sees not staying in as his biggest mistake. But as they say, once a Marine, always a Marine.

Sent your post to him. He LOVED it!

Thanks.

Bill Cook