T'S CHRISTMAS DAY ALL IS SECURE

Paul · 07-12-2008, 12:19

Don't know if this as been posted on here before, if it as sorry but I think it's well worth the read..
Paul

.................................................. .................................................. ......

T'S CHRISTMAS DAY ALL IS SECURE

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 SMALL HOME DID LIVE

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE -
NO TINSEL NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY THE MANTLE JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF A FAR DISTANT LAND
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS.
THEN A SOBER THOUGHT CAME INTO MY MIND

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
T'WAS 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 DISORDER
NOT HOW I PICTURED A LONE SOLDIER..
WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ,
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED

I REALISED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS, WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT
AND SOON ROUND THE WORLD THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY

THEY ALL ENJOY FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN'T HELP BUT WONDER, HOW MANY 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, 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 SAT AND SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHTS CHILL.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE, ON THAT COLD DARK NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOUR, SO WILLING TO FIGHT...

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE
WHISPERED "CARRY ON SANTA, CHRISTMAS DAY 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 BRITISH PEACE KEEPING SOLDIER STATIONED OVERSEAS.

07-12-2008, 12:19	#1
Paul Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: North West Vehicle: 2002 Terrano 3.0 Di LWB Posts: 1,961	T'S CHRISTMAS DAY ALL IS SECURE Don't know if this as been posted on here before, if it as sorry but I think it's well worth the read.. Paul .................................................. .................................................. ...... T'S CHRISTMAS DAY ALL IS SECURE 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 SMALL HOME DID LIVE I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE - NO TINSEL NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE. NO STOCKING BY THE MANTLE JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF A FAR DISTANT LAND WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS. THEN A SOBER THOUGHT CAME INTO MY MIND FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY, T'WAS 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 DISORDER NOT HOW I PICTURED A LONE SOLDIER.. WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ, CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED I REALISED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS, WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT AND SOON ROUND THE WORLD THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY THEY ALL ENJOY FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE. I COULDN'T HELP BUT WONDER, HOW MANY 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, 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 SAT AND SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHTS CHILL. I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE, ON THAT COLD DARK NIGHT, THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOUR, SO WILLING TO FIGHT... THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE WHISPERED "CARRY ON SANTA, CHRISTMAS DAY 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 BRITISH PEACE KEEPING SOLDIER STATIONED OVERSEAS. __________________ 2002 Terrano 3.0 Di LWB..