A lonely
soldier far from home,
in his heart feels sad tonight.
I know he longs for his family,
but none of them are in sight.
In his grief he may shed a salty tear,
and wipe it away with his sleeve,
for memory reminds him in a certain way,
that this is Christmas Eve.
Now his mind drifts back to a bygone time
when he was just a lad.
When he learned of the birth of the Christ Child
from a loving mom and dad.
How they showed him the Christmas Star in the east,
and told him how angels sang.
And it seems so very long ago, when no echo of bullets rang.
He remembered the Creche that they set in place there under the
Christmas tree.
And how the sweet baby Jesus was a gift of love that lasts through 
eternity.
He prays that God will hold him close and restore the world to peace;
That sometime soon, this war will end and the shelling and killing cease.
But tonight in his bunker he will watch and a resolute vigil keep
so those at home in the USA will be safe and have restful sleep.
Through the winter snows when the cold wind blows,
his valor is strong and true.
And he's truly proud he volunteered to defend
the land of the red, white and blue.
Now he thinks again of the Christ Child
who was born to die on a cross.
And this matchless gift
gives his heart a lift
and he feels less sense of loss.
Soft as a velvet whisper's hush, the soldier began to sing
"God Bless America."  May her freedom ever ring!

copyright 2004 Nona Kelley Carver