{"id":3461,"date":"2021-08-13T19:57:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-14T00:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heavens-beauty.info\/wp-hb\/?page_id=3461"},"modified":"2021-08-13T19:59:31","modified_gmt":"2021-08-14T00:59:31","slug":"a-soldiers-poem","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/heavens-beauty.info\/wp-hb\/?page_id=3461","title":{"rendered":"A Soldiers Poem…"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n
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A Soldiers Poem…<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
\nHE LIVED ALL ALONE,
\nIN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
\nPLASTER AND STONE.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
\nWITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
\nAND TO SEE JUST WHO
\nIN THIS HOME DID LIVE.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
\nA STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
\nNO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
\nNOT EVEN A TREE.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
\nJUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
\nON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
\nOF FAR DISTANT LANDS.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
\nAWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
\nA SOBER THOUGHT
\nCAME THROUGH MY MIND.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
\nIT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
\nI FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
\nONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
\nSILENT, ALONE,
\nCURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
\nIN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
\nTHE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
\nNOT HOW I PICTURED
\nA UNITED STATES SOLDIER.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

WAS THIS THE HERO
\nOF WHOM I’D JUST READ?
\nCURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
\nTHE FLOOR FOR A BED?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
\nTHAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
\nOWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
\nWHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
\nTHE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
\nAND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
\nA BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
\nEACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
\nBECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
\nLIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I COULDN’T HELP WONDER
\nHOW MANY LAY ALONE,
\nON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
\nIN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

THE VERY THOUGHT
\nBROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
\nI DROPPED TO MY KNEES
\nAND STARTED TO CRY.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
\nAND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
\n“SANTA DON’T CRY,
\nTHIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
\nI DON’T ASK FOR MORE,
\nMY LIFE IS MY GOD,
\nMY COUNTRY, MY CORPS.”<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
\nAND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
\nI COULDN’T CONTROL IT,
\nI CONTINUED TO WEEP.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
\nSO SILENT AND STILL
\nAND WE BOTH SHIVERED
\nFROM THE COLD NIGHT’S CHILL.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I DIDN’T WANT TO LEAVE
\nON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
\nTHIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
\nSO WILLING TO FIGHT.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
\nWITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
\nWHISPERED, “CARRY ON SANTA,
\nIT’S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.”<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
\nAND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
\n“MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
\nAND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.”<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan.
\nThe following is his request. I think it is reasonable…..<\/span><\/p>\n

PLEASE.<\/b> Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many
\npeople as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to
\nour U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let’s try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe.
\nMake people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead,
\nwho sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part
\nto plant this small seed.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

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A Soldiers Poem… 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 […]<\/p>\n

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