Christmas Poem ... military style

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 STOCKING BY MANTLE, 

JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND, 

ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES 
OF A FAR DISTANT LAND. 

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'D 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 UNITED STATES SOLDIER. 

WAS THIS THE HERO 
OF WHOM I HAD JUST READ?

CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, 
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES 
THAT I'D SEEN THIS NIGHT, 

OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS 

WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT. 

SOON ROUND THE WORLD, 

THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,

AND ALL 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 WEPT FOR HOURS, 

SO SILENT AND STILL 

AND WE BOTH SHIVERED, 

FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

NOT WANTING 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,

"CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS, 

ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, 

AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.

'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, 

AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.'