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  • From: "Mike Dillard" <DILLARDM@mustang.k12.ok.us>
  • To: <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>, <msar-riders-request@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [MSAR] Fwd: Twas The Night Before Christmas-Time to remember
  • Date: Thu, 04 Dec 2003 08:06:12 -0600



>>> "PAULA GULLION" <paulagullion02@msn.com> 12/03/03 09:19AM >>>

>This poem is hitting home this year as my boys will both be on
military
>duty. After Joe spent 4 years in the Marine Corps, he joined the
Michigan
>Army National Guards. His unit has been activated and he will be
leaving
>on December 3 for Guantanamo Bay. Brandon has joined the Marine Corps
and
>will be leaving for boot camp in San Diego on December 8th.
>
>
> >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 stationed in
Okinawa
>Japan. The
>following is his request. I think it is reasonable.....
> >
> >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.
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>---
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  • [MSAR] Fwd: Twas The Night Before Christmas-Time to remember, Mike Dillard, 12/04/2003

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