~Patriotic~
A Soldier's Christmas
T'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 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 HOME."
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 an unnamed Soldier.)
~~~
All the great things are simple,
and many can be expressed in a single word:
freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.
(Winston Churchill)
~~~
America the Beautiful !
~~~
Home of the free, Because of the Brave.
~~~
Bad officials are elected by
good citizens who do not vote.
~~~
Bless my America !
God bless America....please hurry !
Home of the Brave
Hurrah for America
Hurray for the Red, White and Blue !!
~~~
I can disagree with a word you say,
but I'll fight to death
your right to say it.
~~~
If you can read this, thank a teacher;
since it's English, thank a soldier!
~~~
Liberty and Justice for All
~~~
No one loves his country for its size of eminence
but because it is his own.
~~~
Old Glory...Long may she wave !!
~~~
One flag, one land, one heart, one hand, one nation, evermore !
One nation....under God
(I saw this at an antique show...it was an embroidered map of the U.S.)
Proud to be an American
Stars make America shine !
The cause of Freedom is the cause of God !!
(Rev. William Lisle Bowles)
~~~
Then join hand in hand
brave Americans all,
By uniting we stand,
by dividing we fall.
(John Dickinson --1768)
~~~
"Those who expect to reap the blessing of freedom,
must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
(Thomas Payne)
~~~
Three cheers for the red, white and blue !!
~~~
VOTE !!
You never know,
it might count !
~~~
Your a grand old flag !
~~~
E-mail me if you have other sayings to add to this page.
updated 4/17/09
Every effort has been made to give credit to the authors of the material used on this site.
Please let me know if an error has been made, and I will gladly make the necessary changes asap. ~Deanie~