CHRISTMAS TIME

JOHN OPENED HIS EYES ON CHRISTMAS DAY
 A SEASON OF GOODWILL TO ALL SOME SAY
OVER 30 YEARS NOW SINCE THAT CHRISTMAS DAY
 THAT HE HELD HIS FRIEND IN HIS ARMS HIS LIFE EBBING AWAY
25TH DECEMBER 1967
 A 19 YEAR OLD MARINE SLIPPED QUIETLY AWAY TO HEAVEN
JOHN CRIED SO MUCH IN THE JUNGLE THAT DAY 
THAT THEY SENT HIM TO THE REAR NOT IN A SLEIGH
BUT A HELICOPTER FULL OF INJURED DYING MARINES
 WITH IV'S IN THEIR ARMS, THEY ARE STILL IN HIS DREAMS
HIS GRANDSON SAID `GRANDPA, LOOK WHAT I GOT GRANDPA THANK'S`
AS HE TORE OPEN HIS PRESENT CONTAINING TOY SOLDIERS AND TANKS
WITH A TEAR IN HIS EYE JOHN WENT BACK TO HIS ROOM
HIS GRANDSON SAID `PLEASE PLAY WITH ME, WHY ARE YOU LEAVING SO SOON? `
JOHN OPENED A SHOE BOX INSIDE HIS MEDALS AND A CARD
HE TREMBLED AND HE SOBBED TEARS MAKING IT SO HARD
TO READ THE WORDS HIS FREIND HAD WROTE THAT DAY IN VIETNAM
HAPPY CHRISTMAS JOHN ENJOY NEW YEAR IN THE REAR
FROM A FELLOW NEW YORK YANKY
DAN.


© Tony McNally

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