'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,
> > > >>AND ON THE WALL PICTURES
> > > >>OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
> > > >>
> > > >>WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
> > > >>AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
> > > >>A SOBERING THOUGHT
> > > >>CAME TO MY MIND.
> > > >>
> > > >>FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
> > > >>SO DARK AND SO DREARY,
> > > >>THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
> > > >>NOW 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 SOON 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 EVENING'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. servicemen 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.
