To Our Brave Soldiers…

{ December 16, 2009 @ 3:20 pm } · { 1 }

      T’WAS 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 SMALL HOME DID LIVE

      I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE -
      NO TINSEL NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.
      NO STOCKING BY THE MANTLE JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND
      ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF A FAR DISTANT LAND
      WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS.
      THEN A SOBER THOUGHT CAME INTO MY MIND

      FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
      T’WAS 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 DISORDER
      NOT HOW I PICTURED A LONE  SOLDIER..
      WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I’D JUST READ,
      CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED

      I REALISED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT
      OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS, WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT
      AND SOON ROUND THE WORLD THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY
      AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY

      THEY ALL ENJOY FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR
      BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
      I COULDN’T HELP BUT WONDER, HOW MANY 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, 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 SAT AND SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHTS 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, CHRISTMAS DAY IS SECURE”
      ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT
      “MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND – AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!”

(thanks for this Carla)