It's Christmas Day! All's Secure Poem by David Harris

Note: I don’t often put poems up that are not my own. But at the end this poem came with a request from the unknown author who wanted lots of people to read it by passing it on. As I read the poem I understood why and decide if I post it as the readership would end up worldwide. I removed the mark counter as it is not needed for this, but if want to pass this poem along please be my guest.

T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.
I'D COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE, JUST WHO, IN THIS HOME HERE 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 SOBERING THOUGHT CAME TO 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 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 ALL '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 WONDERING, HOW MANY 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 I 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.
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'S 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'