Contribution by Roy Carman | ||
A Christmas Poem | ||
'Twas The Night Before Christmas, |
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He Lived All Alone, |
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In A One Bedroom House |
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Made Of Plaster And Stone. |
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I Had Come Down The Chimney |
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With Presents To Give, |
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And To See Just Who |
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In This Home Did Live. |
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I Looked All About, |
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A Strange Sight I Did See, |
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No Tinsel, No Presents, |
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Not Even A Tree. |
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No Stocking By Mantle, |
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Just Boots Filled With Sand, |
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On The Wall Hung Pictures |
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Of Far Distant Lands. |
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With Medals And Badges, |
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Awards Of All Kinds, |
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A Sober Thought |
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Came Through My Mind. |
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For This House Was Different, |
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It Was Dark And Dreary, |
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I Found The Home Of A Soldier, |
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Once I Could See Clearly. |
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The Soldier Lay Sleeping! , |
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Silent, Alone, |
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Curled Up On The Floor |
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In This One Bedroom Home. |
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The Face Was So Gentle, |
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The Room In Such Disorder, |
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Not How I Pictured |
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A brave British Soldier. |
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Was This The Hero |
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Of Whom I'd Just Read? |
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Curled Up On A Poncho, |
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The Floor For A Bed? |
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I Realised The Families |
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That I Saw This Night, |
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Owed Their Lives To These Soldiers |
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Who Were Willing To Fight. |
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Soon Round The World, |
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The Children Would Play, |
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And Grownups Would Celebrate |
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A Bright Christmas Day. |
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They All Enjoyed Freedom |
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Each Month Of The Year, |
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Because Of The Soldiers, |
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Like The One Lying Here. |
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I Couldn't Help Wonder |
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How Many Lay Alone, |
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On A Cold Christmas Eve |
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In A Land Far From Home. |
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The Very Thought |
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Brought A Tear To My Eye, |
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I Dropped To My Knees |
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And Started To Cry. |
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The Soldier Awakened |
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And I Heard A Rough Voice, |
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"Santa Don't Cry, |
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This Life Is My Choice; |
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I Fight For Freedom, |
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I Don't Ask For More, |
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My Life Is My God, |
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My Country, My Corps." |
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The Soldier Rolled Over |
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And Drifted To Sleep, |
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I Couldn't Control It, |
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I Continued To Weep. |
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I Kept Watch For Hours, |
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So Silent And Still |
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And We Both Shivered |
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From The Cold Night's Chill. |
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I Didn't Want To Leave |
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On That ! Cold, Dark, Night, |
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This Guardian Of Honour |
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So Willing To Fight. |
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Then The Soldier Rolled Over, |
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With A Voice Soft And Pure, |
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Whispered, "Carry On Santa, |
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It's Christmas Day, All Is Secure." |
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One Look At My Watch, |
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And I Knew He Was Right. |
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"Merry Christmas My Friend, |
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And To All A Good Night." | ||
To The Royal Navy and Royal Marines, The British Army, The Royal Air Force, and any one serving the Queen and our Country. | ||
God Bless Them ALL. | ||
My Sincere thanks to a US Marine who wrote this poem and wanted it passed around the World. I have changed it slightly to aim it at those who serve us, here in Britain, now, so far away from their loved ones. I hope he does not mind. |
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