You decide (1 Viewer)

[kilted vampire]

The mystery of this poem is now being decided, it was give to us as an Australian soldier's work, but Snopes says this: http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/soldier.asp

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,
AN AUSTRALIAN 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.

 

[kilted vampire]

I will add this God bless them all everyone! The same goes to our Boys in Blue and Firefighters everywhere!

 

[jazzeum]

I can't say I ever heard of the first one you posted although it doesn't strike me as very good. A quick search, besides the snopes site, revealed the following:

A number of soldier's have been noted as the author of this poem.
According to snopes.com, the poem's true author, James M. Schmidt, who was a Lance Corporal stationed in Washington, D.C., when he wrote the poem back in 1986. For more information and background, please visit snopes.com

From http://www.jacksjoint.com/ChristmasMilitary.html: (With Apologies to Clement Moore Who First Wrote the Story for His Children in 1822 also credit given to M/Sgt Noah Brazos Ross, RA18033195, a USArmy 18th Field Artillery survivor of Utah Beach, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Battle for the Ardennes, Deutschland wrote "Daddy's Christmas" (Soldier's Christmas)" as a Bonita, Montague County, Texas, high school exercise in 1937)

Source: http://www.countrygoldusa.com/soldiers_nite_before_xmas.asp

Further research also shows a Major Bruce Lovely as taking credit for writing it, http://www.byjoy.com/SoldiersChris.html

 

[kilted vampire]

Does it really matter who wrote it? I for one do not care. Sorry I copied the link to Snopes. The you decide remark was not for controversy's sake but whether or not it tugs at one's heart strings It bleeding makes me cry. My heart and thoughts are with them all currently and the past, from Baghdad to Bastogne.

 

[jazzeum]

I thought you were asking about its possible authorship. What our soldiers do and have done for us is noble, putting themselves in harms way time and time again.

However, that's not a very good poem and not at all commensurate with what our soldiers do for us.

 

[kilted vampire]

One could say it was terrible I guess, but then so is war.

 

[4th Hussar]

.

However, that's not a very good poem and not at all commensurate with what our soldiers do for us.

Most of us do not expet our soldiers to be accomplished poets

 

[jazzeum]

Maybe you ought to read In Flanders Field. Why do we remember this poem above all others? I'm sure that the sentiments it expressed was similar to others. What distinguished it was the writing. Good writing survives where others do not.

 

[modwalls]

Wow KV, I agree I don't care which Hero wrote it hits the heart. To many Vets are treated like dirt after their service.