OT: The Night Before Christmas and All Is Secure

[Guest guest]

Yo Deonia Lady,

 

> Butch, agreed with every word you had to say to the mom who wants her

> son home for Christmas.

 

Good show .. and all is well in that regard now. :-P

 

> The Night Before Christmas and All Is Secure.........

>

> and there's not too many men that can make me cry now a days. But, you

> had me bawling by the time I got to the end of this poem!

 

Wasn't my intent to make you cry .. we Suthran Gennelmens try to avoid

making ladies cry .. but if I had to go and do it, I reckon the cause

was a good'un. ;-p

 

> Have a Happy, Merry, Holiday, wherever you are and whatever you're

> doing.

 

Thankee m'am .. appreciated it is. And best wishes to you and yours.

 

> Love ya, Deonia

 

Same here .. and y'all keep smiling, Butch http://www.AV-AT.com

 

> ..............He has joined a fraternity that all soldiers ..

> especially old soldiers like me .. hold to be sacred and we

> honor and protect our brothers and sisters who are or have

> been members of this very elite group. :-P

>

> T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,

> IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.

>

> 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,

> AND ON THE WALL PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

>

> WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARD OF ALL KINDS,

> A SOBERING THOUGHT CAME TO MY MIND.

>

> FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT SO DARK AND SO DREARY,

> THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, NOW 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 SOON DRIFTED TO SLEEP,

> I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

>

> 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. "