Christmas soldier

               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 MARINE,

 ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.


 

 THE MARINE LAY SLEEPING,

 SILENT AND 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 MARINE 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 MARINE 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 MARINE ROLLED OVER,

 WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,

HE 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