check this out

[Mikeinthesouth]

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 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 UNITED STATES SOLDIER.



WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A 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 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 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.

'

This poem was written by a Marine.
__________________
And this above all, to thine own self be true. And it must follow as night the day, thou canst not be false to any man. -Shakespeare

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7

[dominosarah]

Im with theeagle and mike also.  It is very important to support our troops and their families no matter what we think about war.  Some have paid the ultimate price to ensure our freedom.               sara

[Mikeinthesouth]

I definetly am behind them and back the war as it is what my country's leaders feel is necessary to keep our homefront safe from the nonsense that the well I'll keep what I truly want to call them as I had to live next to them and know their hate oh to well. In my prayers the armed forces of our country are in them for each and every soul abroad.................................................................................. So I am with Eagle they are individuals over their each a soul fighting for survival not just a war but a personal struggle for them........

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

I wish that I could count the nights that I slept in holes in the ground.........thanks for posting that.  Even as I type I know my brothers are doing the same thing in Afghanistan and other parts of the world. We really need to support those men and women no matter what we think of our current wars - - - -    eagle

[dominosarah]

This was very nice...............sara

[trippedoutgirl]

Yoy made me crrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrY!
Thanx

[flmagi]

Really, really nice.

[cathy5841]

mikey, thanks for posting this...as the mom of a soldier, it touched my heart...

[scaredmom330]

beautiful absolutely beautiful. as the tears roll down my cheeks


Karen