----- Original Message -----
From: martha kilman
To: Dana Shaw
Cc: Berlyn Evans ; Betty Jo Mills ; Billie Schneider ; Bill Tucker ; Andy Manuel ; Chuck
and Tonnie Tucker ; Crystal Drummond ; David Kilman ; Debbie Youens ; Deena Seloff ;
Verlon Holloway ; Frank Tucker ; Virginia Ann Hurn ; Jill Isom ; James Davis ; Jo Ann
Schomer ; Karen Satterfield ; Kay Rice ; Kenneth Phillips ; Louie Warren ; Michele Howe ;
Phyllia Shankles-Setzer ; Roald Young ; Duane Kilman ; Sue Lindsey ; Syble Connelley ;
Tommy Cavanas
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2001 11:47 AM
Subject: Fw: FW: Fw: Christmas a little early
>Subject: A Christmas Poem - very special
> > >
> > > '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 MANTLE,
> > > JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
> > > AND ON THE WALL
> > > 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,
> > > SO DARK AND SO DREARY,
> > > THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
> > > NOW 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 SOON 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 EVENING'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 a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan.
> > > The following is his request. I think it is reasonable Please.
> > > Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as
> > > you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our
> >U.S.
> > > servicemen and women for our being able to celebrate these
> > > festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of
> > > what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and
> > > dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do
> > > your small part to plant this small seed.
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at
http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download :