THE SANDS OF CHRISTMAS

I had no Christmas spirit when I breathed a weary sigh

And looked across the table where the bills were piled too high

The laundry wasn't finished and the car I had to fix

My stocks were down another point, the Dolphins lost by six

And so with only minutes til my son got home from school

I gave up on the drudgery and grabbed a wooden stool

The burdens that I carried were about all I could take

And so I flipped the TV on to catch a little break

I came upon a desert scene in shades of tan and rust

No snowflakes hung upon the wind, just clouds of swirling dust

And where the reindeer should have stood before a laden sleigh

Eight hummers ran a column right behind an M1A

A group of boys walked past the tank, not one was past his teens

Their eyes were hard as polished flint, their faces drawn and lean

They walked the street in armor with their rifles shouldered tight

Their dearest wish for Christmas, just to have a silent night

Other soldiers gathered, hunkered down against the wind

To share a scrap of mail and dreams of going home again

There wasn't much at all to put their lonely hearts at ease

They had no Christmas turkey, just a pack of MRE's

They didn't have a garland or a stocking I could see

They didn't need an ornament-- they lacked a Christmas Tree

They didn't have a present even though it was tradition

The only boxes I could see were labled "ammunition"

I felt a little tug and found my son now by my side

He asked me what it was I feared, and why it was I cried

I swept him up into my arms and held him oh so near

And kissed him on the forehead as I whispered in his ear

There's nothing wrong, my little son, for safe we sleep tonight

Our heroes stand on foreign land to give us all the right

To worry about the things in life that really mean nothing at all

Instead of wondering each day if we will be the next to fall

He looked at me as children do and said it's always right

To thank the ones who help us,"Mom ,I think that we should write"

And so we pushed aside the bills and sat to draft a note

To thank the many far from home, and this is what we wrote,

God bless you all and keep you safe and speed your way back home

Remember that we love you so, and that you're not alone

The gift you give, you share with all, a present every day

You give the gift of liberty and that we can't repay.

Written by Michael --Š2003
Page Design by Mary Jones
2004

If you would like to share this page with a friend or relative just fill in the blanks below and then hit "send email", it's just that simple.

Your Name:
Your E-mail:
Friend's Name:
Friend's E-mail: