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A MARINE'S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, THE STARS SHINING
BRIGHT,
THE SENTRY WAS WALKING, HIS LEFT, THEN HIS RIGHT.

HIS RIFLE IT SWUNG FROM HIS SHOULDER WITH EASE,
HIS HEAD KEPT ALERT FROM A CHILL IN THE BREEZE.

THE TROOPS WERE ALL NESTLED AND WARM IN THEIR RACKS,
WHILE HE STOOD HIS DUTY, HIS FEET MAKING TRACKS.

FOR HE, IN HIS HELMET, WITH HIS RIFLE AT SIDE,
HAD JUST SETTLED DOWN IN THAT 12 TO 4 STRIDE.

THEN WHAT TO THE SHOCK OF THE SENTRY APPEARED,
WAS A LITTLE GREEN SLEIGH PULLED BY CAMOUFLAGED DEER,

WITH A LITTLE OLD DRIVER IN DRESS BLUES AND SWORD.
THE SENTRY JUST STOOD THERE NOT SAYING A WORD,

HE WATCHED IN AMAZEMENT WITH EYES ALL AGLOW,
AS THE REINDEER, IN SILENCE, PULLED THE SLEIGH LOW.

WITH A WINK FROM THE DRIVER, A TIP FROM HIS COVER,
THE SLEIGH LIKE A HUEY, JUST PULLED UP AND HOVERED.

THE SENTRY WAS STARTLED, BEWITCHED, AND IN DOUBT,
BUT DUTY PREVAILED AND THESE WORDS RANG OUT:

"NOW WAIT A MINUTE - HALT WHO GOES THERE!?"
BUT THE LITTLE MAN SMILED, "YOU'VE NOTHING TO FEAR,

FOR AS SURE AS IT'S CHRISTMAS, AND AS SURE AS YOU'RE
HERE,
I'VE STOPPED ON MY ROUTE JUST TO BRING YOU GOOD
CHEER!"

"NOW ATTENTION TO ORDERS!" HE SAID WITH A FLAIR,
THEN READ FROM A PAGE THAT HE HELD IN THE AIR:

"FOR ATTENTION TO DUTY WHILE WALKING YOUR POST,
ON THE DAY OF THE YEAR THAT WE CHERISH THE MOST,

HERE IN THIS PLACE ON THIS SOLEMN OCCASION,
I THANK YOU, MARINE, ON BEHALF OF THE NATION!"

HE SALUTED THE SENTRY, AND CUT SHARP AND CLEAR,
THEN HE TOOK UP THE REINS AS HE CALLED TO HIS DEER,

"ON BELLEAU, ON IWO, ON AN-HOA AND CHOSIN,
ON YOU NAMED-FOR-PLACES BOTH HELL-HOT AND FROZEN!

AND HE CALLED OUT ONCE MORE AS HE SPED OUT OF SIGHT,
MERRY CHRISTMAS, MARINES, CARRY ON AND GOOD NIGHT!"

SEMPER FI!!!!!
(Author unknown)