Read on. Let us never forget those who gave us our freedoms.<br /><br /><br />Christmas Poem<br />>><br />>> TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,<br />>> HE LIVED ALL ALONE,<br />>> IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF<br />>> PLASTER AND STONE.<br />>><br />>> I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY<br />>> WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,<br />>> AND TO SEE JUST WHO<br />>> IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.<br />>><br />>> I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,<br />>> A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,<br />>> NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,<br />>> NOT EVEN A TREE.<br />>><br />>> NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,<br />>> JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,<br />>> ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES<br />>> OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.<br />>><br />>> WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,<br />>> AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,<br />>> A SOBER THOUGHT<br />>> CAME THROUGH MY MIND.<br />>><br />>> FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,<br />>> IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,<br />>> I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,<br />>> ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.<br />>><br />>> THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,<br />>> SILENT, ALONE,<br />>> CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR<br />>> IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.<br />>><br />>> THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,<br />>> THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,<br />>> NOT HOW I PICTURED<br />>> A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.<br />>><br />>> WAS THIS THE HERO<br />>> OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?<br />>> CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,<br />>> THE FLOOR FOR A BED?<br />>><br />>> I REALIZED THE FAMILIES<br />>> THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,<br />>> OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS<br />>> WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.<br />>><br />>> SOON ROUND THE WORLD,<br />>> THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,<br />>> AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE<br />>> A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.<br />>><br />>> THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM<br />>> EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,<br />>> BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,<br />>> LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.<br />>><br />>> I COULDN'T HELP WONDER<br />>> HOW MANY LAY ALONE,<br />>> ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE<br />>> IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.<br />>><br />>> THE VERY THOUGHT<br />>> BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,<br />>> I DROPPED TO MY KNEES<br />>><br />>> AND STARTED TO CRY.<br />>><br />>> THE SOLDIER AWAKENED<br />>> AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,<br />>> "SANTA DON'T CRY,<br />>> THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;<br />>><br />>> I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,<br />>> I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,<br />>> MY LIFE IS MY GOD,<br />>> MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."<br />>><br />>> THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER<br />>> AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,<br />>> I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,<br />>> I CONTINUED TO WEEP.<br />>><br />>> I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,<br />>> SO SILENT AND STILL<br />>> AND WE BOTH SHIVERED<br />>> FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.<br />>><br />>> I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE<br />>> ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,<br />>> THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR<br />>> SO WILLING TO FIGHT.<br />>><br />>> THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,<br />>> WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,<br />>> WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,<br />>> IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."<br />>><br />>> ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,<br />>> AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.<br />>> "MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,<br />>> AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."<br />>>
