Mo Murphy Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 ITS CHRISTMAS DAY ALL IS SECURE 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 THE 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 LONE BRITISH 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 ENJOY FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY ALONE ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME THE VERY THOUGH 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 SAT AND SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHTS CHILL I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD DARK NIGHT THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOUR SO WILLING TO FIGHT THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE WHISPERED 'CARRY ON SANTA ITS 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 PEACE KEEPING SOLDIER STATIONED OVERSEAS THE FOLLOWING IS HIS REQUEST I THINK IT IS REASONABLE. PLEASE WOULD YOU DO ME THE KIND FAVOUR OF SENDING THIS TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN CHRISTMAS WILL BE COMING SOON AND SOME CREDIT IS DUE TO ALL THE SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN ALL ROUND THE WORLD FOR OUR BEING ABLE TO CELEBRATE THESE FESTIVITIES. LETS TRY IN THIS SMALL WAY TO PAY A TINY BIT BACK OF WHAT WE OWE! George ________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cipx2 Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 THIS POEM WAS WRITTEN BY A PEACE KEEPING SOLDIER STATIONED OVERSEASTHE FOLLOWING IS HIS REQUEST I THINK IT IS REASONABLE. PLEASE WOULD YOU DO ME THE KIND FAVOUR OF SENDING THIS TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN Not quite so ... http://iwvpa.net/schmidtjm/index.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted December 9, 2007 Author Share Posted December 9, 2007 Well there you go, a British soldier version of Corporal Schmidt's poem. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WALFY Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Doesn't really matter where the poem came from just that you are thinking about the boys away from home is enough. Cheers Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfredenewman Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Doesn't really matter where the poem came from just that you are thinking about the boys away from home is enough. Cheers Mo 100% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollythelw Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 Bang on. keep safe boys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 Doesn't really matter where the poem came from just that you are thinking about the boys away from home is enough. Couldn't agree more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 Would just like to add this, as a thought for all those of a certain disposition who think that all soldiers and the forces are bad, but who are quite happy to spout their opinions...... The Soldier It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial. It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves under the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag. By Father Dennis Edward O'Brien Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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