>
> '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.
>