Off-Topic: Christmas Poem written by a US Soldier

Old 12-24-2008, 12:14 PM
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Default Off-Topic: Christmas Poem written by a US Soldier

This was sent to be by a friend in the US Army. It was very heart warming to me, hope it is to you as well.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

" So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN
30th Naval Construction Regiment
OIC, Logistics Cell One
Al Taqqadum, Iraq
Old 12-24-2008, 12:59 PM
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Wow, that really puts things in perspective, we should all take a moment to think about those fighting for us.
Old 12-24-2008, 04:19 PM
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Give credit where credit is due

"A Soldier's Christmas", written by Michael Marks on December 7th, 2000

A great poem, you should tell your friend to put the Authors name at the bottom before his own. But other than that a great poem, we used it for the Marines toys for tots program and gave it out on a flyer in 2002 thanking each person for their donation.

Merry Christmas to everyone - Hopefully our cars bless us with a year of minor issues....
Old 12-25-2008, 01:04 AM
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Originally Posted by turbologics
Give credit where credit is due

"A Soldier's Christmas", written by Michael Marks on December 7th, 2000

A great poem, you should tell your friend to put the Authors name at the bottom before his own. But other than that a great poem, we used it for the Marines toys for tots program and gave it out on a flyer in 2002 thanking each person for their donation.

Merry Christmas to everyone - Hopefully our cars bless us with a year of minor issues....
Was I giving credit to anyone? No
My post plainly states my friend is in the Army and that he sent it to me, the signature at the bottom is someone from the Navy. I don't even know if he knows the guy at the bottom. Damn Try to spread some happiness and there is always someone who has to know everything. Maybe I should have waited for you to post the same poem then, huh? I guess everything would have been quoted properly.

Anyways, MERRY CHRISTMAS to all!!

Last edited by WstTexas; 12-25-2008 at 01:23 AM.
Old 12-25-2008, 01:15 AM
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Yep, thats what we feed off of.
Old 12-25-2008, 08:44 AM
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Marines, Navy, and Army in one thread. We still need the Coast Guard and the Air Force along with all the reserves and National Guard.
Old 12-25-2008, 09:13 AM
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Merry Christmas to yall as well. Holidays are very lonely for alot of soldiers, But we brush it off and have a good dinner. Its a good poem nomatter. This person who is at the bottom more than likely dug it up and passed it on so people who forget where we came from or civies have a little understanding.


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