>I just received this from a friend and thought you all would enjoy. Even though it's >not Christmas yet, I figured it would fit in with Veteran's Day. Janey Subject: Fw: "Twas the night before" >Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1999 19:43:12 -0800 > > >-- > >> > >>> > >>>> > > 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 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=20 > >>>> > > >> > 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. Sent by govolsfan Mail
