Wanted to share a poem

The Coast Guardsman's Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, the cutter was steaming,
Coasties on watch, while others were dreaming.

Lookouts above, engineers in the hole,
An unfamiliar sight, not like the North Pole

I landed on deck with presents and gifts,
Hoping that somehow, their spirits I'd lift

I looked all about, a strange sight did I see,
No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.

No stockings were hung, shined boots close at hand,
On the bulkhead hung pictures of a far distant land.

They had medals and badges and awards of all kind,
More dedicated men, I know I can't find.

For this place was so different, so dark and so rough,
I think I'd discovered what made Coasties so tough.

A Coastie lay sleeping, silent, and alone,
Curled up in a rack and dreaming of home.

The face was so gentle, the decks squared away,
GOD Bless our Coast Guard, I started to pray.

For this was the hero I saw on TV,
Pulling lives from the water, and battling the Sea

Defending the Homeland, keeping drugs off the street
Coasties do it all, ‘cause freedom's not free.

I realized the families that I would visit this night,
Owed their lives to these Coasties who lay willing to fight.

Soon round the world, the children would play,
And grownups would celebrate on this Christmas Day.

They all enjoyed freedom and safety all year,
Because of the Coastie, like the one lying here.

I couldn't help wonder, how many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas Eve, on a sea far from home.

Just that very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.

The Coastie awakened and I heard a calm voice,
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice."

"Defending the homeland all days of the year,
So others may live and be free with no fear."

I thought for a moment, what a difficult road,
To live a life guided by honor and code.

After all, it's Christmas Eve, and the ship's underway!
But freedom isn't free and it's Coasties who pay.

The Coastie rolled over and drifted to sleep,
I couldn't control it, I started to weep.

I kept watch for hours, so silent, so still,
The Coastie just shivered, from the cold, dark night's chill.

When I left that old cutter, all tossing and turning,
Deep down below, the screws were still churning.

As the clouds rolled on in, and sea turned to foam,
In the far off distance, a light barely shone.

The Coasties were up now, about on the decks,
and the light that I spied was barely a speck.


So, I gave them a wink, as old glory proudly waved,
For on this Christmas Eve, a life would be saved