A SOLDIER'S CHRISTMAS ( Author unknown )

          THIS POEM WAS WRITTEN BY A MARINE STATIONED IN OKINAWA, JAPAN



'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 WHOM 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,  SILENTLY ALONE
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
     THE FACE WAS 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 HIS 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 GROWN-UPS 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 CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND SO 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 REGIMENT."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED OFF 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.