Airborne!
On Thu, Dec 19, 2013 at 2:51 PM, Jerry Milo Johnson <[email protected]>wrote: > > I thought this worth sharing. Merry Christmas and happy holiday. > > *A Different Christmas Poem* > > > > > > > > * The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed > round the room and I cherished the sight. My wife was asleep, her > head on my chest, My daughter beside me, angelic in rest. > Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a > winter delight.* > > > > > > > > > * [image: cid:6CC57C0D2213441FA6EA43F4C9139C7F@JDHP]* > > > > > > > > > > > > * The sparkling lights in the tree I believe, Completed the > magic that was Christmas Eve. My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was > deep, Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep. In perfect > contentment, or so it would seem, So slumbered I, perhaps I started > to dream.* > > > > *[image: cid:E2FFAC42B46A455DB569B7EB28DA8E34@JDHP]* > > > > > > > > > * The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, But I opened my > eyes when it tickled my ear.* > > > * Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, * > > *Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.* > > > > * My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear, And I crept to > the door just to see who was near.* > > > > * Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night, A lone > figure stood, his face weary and tight.* > > > > > > > > > > *[image: cid:F11CE569A8AF4AAF89106A6CF88E87AD@JDHP]* > > > > > > > * A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old, Perhaps a > Trooper, huddled here in the cold.* > > > > > * Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, Standing watch > over me, and my wife and my child.* > > > > * "What are you doing?" I asked without fear, "Come in this > moment. It's freezing out here!* > > > > * Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve, You > should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"* > > > > * For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift, Away from the cold > and the snow blown in drifts.* > > > > > * To the window that danced with a warm fire's light Then he > sighed and he said, "It's really all right, I'm out here by choice. > I'm here every night."* > > > > > * > [image: cid:5D18836DEC804D61A96A5B178320D2FD@JDHP]* > > > > > * "It's my duty to stand at the front of the line, That > separates you from the darkest of times.* > > > > > > * No one had to ask or beg or implore me, I'm proud to stand > here like my fathers before me. My Gramps died in Europe on a day in > December," Then he said,* > > > > *"That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers." I've not seen my own > son in more than a while, But my wife sends me pictures. He's sure > got her smile.* > > > > > > > > > > > > > * Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag, The red, > white, and Blue American Flag. I can live through the cold and the > being alone, Away from my family, my house and my home. I can > stand at my post through the rain and the sleet, I can sleep in a > foxhole with little to eat. I can carry the weight of killing > another, Or lay down my life with my sister and brother. Who > stand at the front against any and all, To ensure for all time that > this flag will not fall." * > > > > > > > > > > > * "So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright, Your family > is waiting and I'll be all right." "But isn't there something I can > do, at the least, "Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a > feast? It seems all too little for all that you've done, For > being away from your wife and your son." Then his eye welled a tear > that held no regret, "Just tell us you love us, and never forget. * > > > > *[image: cid:541CCF4722CE4F3A9140E9866E5EE908@JDHP]* > > > > > > > > * To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone, To > stand your own watch, no matter how long. For when we come home, > either standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we > bled. Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we > mattered to you as you mattered to us." * > > > > > * 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 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 > sacrificedthemselves for us.* > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:369028 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
