What a splendid poem. Do we even think of them or say a small prayer for their safety? These who stake their all for our safety.
Bernice Pereira On Fri, Dec 18, 2020 at 2:17 PM Aires Rodrigues <airesrodrigu...@gmail.com> wrote: > A CHRISTMAS POEM > 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 DISORDER, > NOT HOW I PICTURED, > A TRUE SOLDIER. > WAS THIS THE HERO, > OF WHOM I'D JUST READ? > CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, > THE FLOOR FOR A BED? > I REALISED 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 DID NOT 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 Peacekeeping soldier stationed overseas. Please > share with your family and friends > > Aires Rodrigues > > Advocate High Court > > C/G-2, Shopping Complex > > Ribandar Retreat, > > Ribandar – Goa – 403006 > > Mobile No: 9822684372 > > Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 > > Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com > > Or > > airesrodrig...@yahoo.com > > You can also reach me on > > Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues > > Twitter@rodrigues_aires > > > www.airesrodrigues.com > -- Bernice