It Was The Night Before Christmas

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Posted by LilRed2004 (LadderOp) (Ranked 9 on Euchre (VU Games) Ladder) on December 12, 2008 at 22:17:33:

IT 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 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 SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES OR CANADIAN 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 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 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."

This poem was written by an Army Airborne Ranger.

Please remember all our soldiers who fight for freedom and democracy no matter what country they are serving.

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: <font color="yellow">IT 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 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 SUCH DISORDER, : NOT HOW I PICTURED : A UNITED STATES OR CANADIAN 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 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 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." : This poem was written by an Army Airborne Ranger. : Please remember all our soldiers who fight for freedom and democracy no matter what country they are serving.</font>

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