Poem for xmas

[Bluesbro]

T'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 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 DISORDER,

NOT HOW I PICTURED,

A TRUE 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 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 DID NOT 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 Peacekeeping 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 all of the 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.See More


A sobering poem i thought I would share with you guys. My thoughts go out to our servicemen and women at this time of year who are laying their lives on the line so that we may enjoy the freedom and liberty that we have grown so accoustomed to in this country.

Let us all hope and prey that they have a safe and happy xmas where ever they are in the world and rey for a safe return to their familys soon

Merry christmas to all

Joe

[Ripple]

Very moving !

Thankyou.

Ripple.

[chris.oldgit]

Well done joe,
absolutely brilliant, I do hope some of the politicians read the forum, and do something for ex. military after they are demobed, instead of the attitude of, let them get on with it, and shrug of the responsibilies that they should be afforded, out of the service on the streets living rough, many in London, whilst the government live out their time, living at the tax payers expense.
Sack a politician and employ ex servicemen, one squaddie has more backbone than any politician.

[SIMPLE MAN]

well said mate

[didgeman]

Being an ex squaddie myself of 8 years I know too well how it is to be away for xmas.
I wish all our Armed Forces a peaceful and safe Xmas and may they return safely.

[Chopper]

"A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon" ~Napoleon



But NO government will break in to a sweat to help them when they are "finished"

[Dadwood]

That's a very moving and thought provoking poem Joe. Thank you for posting it. I have to be careful how I word this next bit on account of angering some people - I'll try not to.

It's not every serving service man and woman who can honestly tell Santa not to weep because he or she has chosen to put their life on the line in the services. I know of two young people who had been long term unemployed since leaving school and had eventually signed up, not primarily to fight for queen and country, but to 'get a job and some income'.
These two people are relatives of mine and were both posted abroad - one to Northern Ireland, the other to Iraq. When they learnt they were to 'go to the front' they were both scared out of their wits; of course they were. The lad who went to Northern Ireland never came back, a booby trap bomb made sure of that. The other lad is still in Iraq.
The thing that angers me beyond words is the fact that our successive governments pay lip service to the bravery of our troops fighting overseas yet do nowt for them when they come back home! With the government now intent on reducing the numbers of soldiers, sailors and airmen it looks very much that the lad who joined to get off the dole queue is likely to be put back on it when (and if) he comes home from Iraq.