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 DISORDER,
NOT HOW I
PICTURED, A TRUE 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 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."
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Filmed by Ivel barbarians Rugby Club |