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A Different Christmas Poem
A Different Christmas
Poem
The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the
snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts...
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
"I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the
line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always
remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam
'
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures; he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother...
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
But my wife sends me pictures; he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother...
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at
the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us." ~Anon
Survivor at the Destin Seafood Festival
Nice view of the Destin Seafood Festival from our 11th Floor Balcony. Survivor and Joan Jett were awesome!
Awesome weekend at the Destin Seafood Festival. This is the view of Survivor playing at the festival from one of our 11th floor balconies.
Awesome weekend at the Destin Seafood Festival. This is the view of Survivor playing at the festival from one of our 11th floor balconies.
Great Band at Tootsie's in Pier Park Panama City Beach
Great band and a great time at Tootsie's in Pier Park Panama City Beach. Just one of many fun places we visited over Labor Day Weekend!
Def Leppard Pour Some Sugar on Me
What an awesome concert and fun evening, listening to Cheap Trick, Poison & Def Leppard all in one night at Lakewood Amphitheatre.
Parking Space in Central Park where me and the RV stayed for 5 days
This is where the RV was parked (and I slept) for 5 days, while I was in Central Park helping a film crew make a documentary about Frederick Law Olmsted and some of the many city parks that he designed. This was a typical weekday, on the weekends it was a steady flow of one horse and carriage following another! This is just a block or so from the park entrance at 60th and 5th street and just a few blocks from Times Square!
Panoramic View of the Resevoir Jogging Track at Central Park
Here are some interesting facts about Central Park. This jogging track around one of several lakes in the park, is very popular with joggers and just over 1.5 miles around. So, how big is Central Park? 843 acres or 6% of Manhattan's total acreage, including:150 acres in 7 waterbodies, 250 acres of lawns, 136 acres of woodlands. To walk around the park is 6 miles, 2.5 miles long by .5 miles wide. If you walked all the pedestrian paths in the park, you will have walked 58 miles! I think we covered them all during our visit!
12 Day RV Road Trip with Film Crew Making a Documentary about Frederick Law Olmsted
Here is a link to another blog for those that are interested in following us on our 12 day RV road trip from Atlanta to Washington DC, to Connecticut to Boston to New York. I'm driving a film crew around as they film interviews and beautiful parks that were all designed by famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.
http://theolmstedlegacy.wordpress.com/ http://theolmstedlegacy.wordpress.com/
http://theolmstedlegacy.
No Doubt performs "Don't Speak" at Lakewood Amphitheatre
Another great hit dating back to the 90's from Gwen Stefani and No Doubt. If you ever get the chance to see her live, do so! She is a great performer and now back with her awesome band!
Will gets punked with fake ticket at Lakewood
We all got a good laugh out of seeing Will try to use a fake ticket at Lakewood and the No Doubt concert. Sorry I took the video sideways and could not figure out how to rotate it.
"I'm Just A Girl", No Doubt & Gwen Stefani at Lakewood
Wow, what an awesome concert! This was just one of many big hits from Gwen and No Doubt. She put on a great show and has a LOT of energy!
