A Soldier's
Christmas
Merry
Christmas
My
Friend
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 domicile did live.
As I looked all about
a strange sight I did see
no tinsel, no presents,
not even a tree.
No stockings by the
fire, just boots filled with sand
on the wall hung pictures
of a far off land.
With medals and badge,
awards of all kinds
a sobering thought
came to my mind.
For this house was
different, unlike any I'd seen
this was the home
of a U.S. Marine.
I'd heard stories about
them, I had to see more
so I walked down the
hall and pushed open the door.
There he lay sleeping,
silent and alone
curled up on his bed
in his one bedroom home.
His head was clean
shaven, his weathered face tan
I soon understood.
This was more than a man.
I realized that the
families that I would see this night
owed their lives to
these men who are willing to fight.
In hours, around the
nation, the children would play
and grown ups would
celebrate on a bright Christmas Day.
They all enjoyed freedom,
all month and all year
because of Marines,
like the one lying here.
I couldn't help wonder
how many lie alone
on a cold Christmas
Eve in a land far from home.
Just the very thought
brought a tear to my eye
I dropped to my knees
and started to cry.
He must have awoken
for I heard a rough voice
Santa don't cry, this
life is my choice.
I fight for freedom
and I don't ask for more
my life is my God,
my Country, and Corps.
As I looked at this
guardian so willing to fight
he saluted and said,
"Merry Christmas my friend.
Semper Fi and goodnight."
This poem
was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan.
The following
is his request.
"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."
