This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make
 people stop and think Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to
 our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these
 festivities.of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed
 themselves for us. 
 

  TWAS 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,
  ONE 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 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 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."