Christmas Re-write (ported from The Mess Hall forum)

[CmdrWilkens]

Sure its US-centric but I felt I should add it belatedly for the holidays.
>
>
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>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 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 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 FOR 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 a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan. The
>following is his request. I think it is reasonable.....
>PLEASE. 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.
>God Bless America's Soldiers.
>
>

[CmdrWilkens]

I'm shamelessly moving this back up because I think more than 9 people ought to see it.