Waxx_IK Posted December 3, 2000 Share Posted December 3, 2000 I picked up this poem on the web. 'TWAS 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 STOCKINGS WERE HUNG, > > > > > > JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND, > > > > > > ON A NAIL HUNG FATIGUES, > > > > > > IN THE CORNER,AN OLD M1 GARAND, > > > > > > > > > > > > WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, > > > > > > AWARDS OF ALL KINDS, > > > > > > A CALM SOBER THOUGHT > > > > > > CAME INTO MY MIND. > > > > > > > > > > > > FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, > > > > > > IT WAS DARK AND DREARY, > > > > > > IT WAS THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, > > > > > > I REALIZED SO CLEARLY. > > > > > > > > > > > > THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, > > > > > > ALONE,ON THE FLOOR, > > > > > > HIS ARMS WERE HIS PILLOW, > > > > > > HE REQUIRED NO MORE. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, > > > > > > THE ROOM, SUCH DISORDER, > > > > > > NOT HOW I PICTURED > > > > > > A UNITED STATES SOLDIER. > > > > > > > > > > > > WAS THIS THE GREAT HERO > > > > > > OF WHOM I'D JUST READ? > > > > > > CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, > > > > > > THE FLOOR FOR HIS BED? > > > > > > > > > > > > I REALIZED THE FAMILIES > > > > > > THAT I SAW ON 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. > > > > > > > > > > > > AND THINKING OF THIS, > > > > > > BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE, > > > > > > I DROPPED TO MY KNEES > > > > > > AND I 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 WENT BACK TO SLEEP, > > > > > > BUT I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, > > > > > > I CONTINUED TO WEEP. > > > > > > > > > > > > I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, > > > > > > SO SILENT AND STILL, > > > > > > THE TWO OF US SHIVERED > > > > > > FROM THE COLD WINTERS CHILL. > > > > > > > > > > > > I DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE > > > > > > ON THAT COLD, WINDY,NIGHT, > > > > > > THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR > > > > > > SO WILLING TO FIGHT. > > > > > > > > > > > > THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, > > > > > > AND WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, > > > > > > WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, > > > > > > IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL'S 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: 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. ------------------ I can't think of anything to put in the signature box. Will this do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximus Posted December 3, 2000 Share Posted December 3, 2000 You could have had at least reformatted the thing, instead of leaving all those >>> in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russellmz Posted December 3, 2000 Share Posted December 3, 2000 'TWAS 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 STOCKINGS WERE HUNG, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND, ON A NAIL HUNG FATIGUES, IN THE CORNER,AN OLD M1 GARAND, WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS, A CALM SOBER THOUGHT CAME INTO MY MIND. FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY, IT WAS THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, I REALIZED SO CLEARLY. THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, ALONE,ON THE FLOOR, HIS ARMS WERE HIS PILLOW, HE REQUIRED NO MORE. THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM, SUCH DISORDER, NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER. WAS THIS THE GREAT HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ? CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR HIS BED? I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW ON 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. AND THINKING OF THIS, BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE, I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND I 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 WENT BACK TO SLEEP, BUT I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP. I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL, THE TWO OF US SHIVERED FROM THE COLD WINTERS CHILL. I DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, WINDY,NIGHT, THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT. THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, AND WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL'S SECURE." ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT. "MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT." ------------------ "They had their chance- they have not lead!" - GW Bush "They had mechanical pencils- they have not...lead?" - Jon Stewart on The Daily Show [This message has been edited by russellmz (edited 12-03-2000).] [This message has been edited by russellmz (edited 12-03-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenorBeef Posted December 3, 2000 Share Posted December 3, 2000 Cleaned it up a bit. 'TWAS 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 STOCKINGS WERE HUNG, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND, ON A NAIL HUNG FATIGUES, IN THE CORNER AN OLD M1 GARAND, WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS, A CALM SOBER THOUGHT, CAME INTO MY MIND. FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY, IT WAS THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, I REALIZED SO CLEARLY. THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, ALONE, ON THE FLOOR, HIS ARMS WERE HIS PILLOW, HE REQUIRED NO MORE. THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM, SUCH DISORDER, NOT HOW I PICTURED, A UNITED STATES SOLDIER. WAS THIS THE GREAT HERO, OF WHOM I'D JUST READ? CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR HIS BED? I REALIZED THE FAMILIES, THAT I SAW ON 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. AND THINKING OF THIS, BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE, I DROPPED TO MY KNEES, AND I 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 WENT BACK TO SLEEP, BUT I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP. I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL, THE TWO OF US SHIVERED, FROM THE COLD WINTERS CHILL. I DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE, ON THAT COLD, WINDY, NIGHT, THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR, SO WILLING TO FIGHT. THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, AND WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL'S SECURE." ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT. "MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted December 3, 2000 Share Posted December 3, 2000 Ditto. ------------------ Blessed be the Lord my strength who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson Posted December 6, 2000 Share Posted December 6, 2000 Just thought I would give this a bump for those who might have missed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts