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A Christmas Poem

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  • A Christmas Poem

    A Christmas Poem

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Was sent to me by a Retired Royal Mairine on another Board

    The Dean

    Sent to me by one of my past trainees now serving in Afghanistan.



    Quote:
    Spare a thought for the boys and girls who make the world a safer place!!





    ITS CHRISTMAS DAY ALL IS SECURE

    IT 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 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 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 LONE BRITISH 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
    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 WONDER HOW MANY ALONE
    ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME

    THE VERY THOUGH 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 SAT AND SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHTS CHILL
    I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD DARK NIGHT
    THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOUR SO WILLING TO FIGHT

    THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE
    WHISPERED 'CARRY ON SANTA ITS 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 PEACE KEEPING SOLDIER STATIONED OVERSEAS
    THE FOLLOWING IS HIS REQUEST I THINK IT IS REASONABLE.

    PLEASE WOULD YOU DO ME THE KIND FAVOUR OF SENDING THIS TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN

    CHRISTMAS WILL BE COMING SOON AND SOME CREDIT IS DUE TO OUR BRITISH SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN FOR OUR BEING ABLE TO CELEBRATE THESE FESTIVITIES.
    LETS TRY IN THIS SMALL WAY TO PAY A TINY BIT BACK OF WHAT WE OWE!

  • #2
    Not to take away from the poem, but the original was written by USMC Lance Corporal James Schmidt while stationed at Marine Barracks 8th & I, Washington D.C. Way back in 1986. Although a USAF LtCol claimed that he wrote it in the 1990s.



    The Title was/is "Merry Christmas my friend"

    Urban Legends Reference Pages: The Soldier's Night Before Christmas

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    • #3
      Well I never so it before and it was past on to me from The Dean .

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