'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, THEY 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.

 

Hope you don't mind me adding this to our forum.

Very well written

 

no prob.. i think everyone should see it...
was posted in the open forum!!!

 

I printed it and all the guy's up here love it, thanks again

 

no thank you and the guys and girls who serve this country