A Christmas Poem (Soldier Theme)

[LHammonds]

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,

HE LIVED ALL ALONE,

IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE

MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.

 

I CAME DOWN THE CHIMNEY

WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,

AND JUST TO SEE 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 SOBERING THOUGHT

CAME INTO MY MIND.

 

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,

IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,

A 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 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

WHO ALL 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 THIS 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.

[Lisnpuppy]

How lovely and wonderful. Thanks for shanring this LHammonds.

[dezdimona]

touching,and somehow rings of truth.Thanks for posting this

[Javalin]

Touching poem, and very powerful.

 

 

 

I salute all of those in the war, and those who are deceased

[XanAlderon]

WOWOW very good!

[SpacemanSpIiff]

My dad is a USMC Veteran who served in the first gulf war. So this poem definitley had an impact on me. Thank you for sharing it hammonds.

[UnholyShadow]

I hear this poem every Christmas, and each time I do, I think of the selflessness of military veterans. Thanks for sharing the poem.