Opinions,thoughts and ideas(some nuts)

Listening to: C.S.I

                                              THE SOLDIER
  '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,
  ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
 
  WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
  A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH 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 CANADIAN 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 SOLDIERS 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
  AS WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S