<p>A MARINE'S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS </p>
<p>'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, THE STARS SHINING
BRIGHT,
THE SENTRY WAS WALKING, HIS LEFT, THEN HIS RIGHT. </p>
<p>HIS RIFLE IT SWUNG FROM HIS SHOULDER WITH EASE,
HIS HEAD KEPT ALERT FROM A CHILL IN THE BREEZE. </p>
<p>THE TROOPS WERE ALL NESTLED AND WARM IN THEIR RACKS,
WHILE HE STOOD HIS DUTY, HIS FEET MAKING TRACKS. </p>
<p>FOR HE, IN HIS HELMET, WITH HIS RIFLE AT SIDE,
HAD JUST SETTLED DOWN IN THAT 12 TO 4 STRIDE. </p>
<p>THEN WHAT TO THE SHOCK OF THE SENTRY APPEARED,
WAS A LITTLE GREEN SLEIGH PULLED BY CAMOUFLAGED DEER, </p>
<p>WITH A LITTLE OLD DRIVER IN DRESS BLUES AND SWORD.
THE SENTRY JUST STOOD THERE NOT SAYING A WORD, </p>
<p>HE WATCHED IN AMAZEMENT WITH EYES ALL AGLOW,
AS THE REINDEER, IN SILENCE, PULLED THE SLEIGH LOW. </p>
<p>WITH A WINK FROM THE DRIVER, A TIP FROM HIS COVER,
THE SLEIGH LIKE A HUEY, JUST PULLED UP AND HOVERED. </p>
<p>THE SENTRY WAS STARTLED, BEWITCHED, AND IN DOUBT,
BUT DUTY PREVAILED AND THESE WORDS RANG OUT: </p>
<p>"NOW WAIT A MINUTE - HALT WHO GOES THERE!?"
BUT THE LITTLE MAN SMILED, "YOU'VE NOTHING TO FEAR, </p>
<p>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!" </p>
<p>"NOW ATTENTION TO ORDERS!" HE SAID WITH A FLAIR,
THEN READ FROM A PAGE THAT HE HELD IN THE AIR: </p>
<p>"FOR ATTENTION TO DUTY WHILE WALKING YOUR POST,
ON THE DAY OF THE YEAR THAT WE CHERISH THE MOST, </p>
<p>HERE IN THIS PLACE ON THIS SOLEMN OCCASION,
I THANK YOU, MARINE, ON BEHALF OF THE NATION!" </p>
<p>HE SALUTED THE SENTRY, AND CUT SHARP AND CLEAR,
THEN HE TOOK UP THE REINS AS HE CALLED TO HIS DEER, </p>
<p>"ON BELLEAU, ON IWO, ON AN-HOA AND CHOSIN,
ON YOU NAMED-FOR-PLACES BOTH HELL-HOT AND FROZEN! </p>
<p>AND HE CALLED OUT ONCE MORE AS HE SPED OUT OF SIGHT,
MERRY CHRISTMAS, MARINES, CARRY ON AND GOOD NIGHT!" </p>
<p>SEMPER FI!!!!!
(Author unknown)</p>