A Mother's Greatest Gift

This is a Christmas poem for today's Soldier, Sailors, Airmen and Marines

A Mother’s Greatest Gift

 

 

Somewhere in the desert sands

or city streets of foreign lands

our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines

have only each other tonight.

 

Playing Santa is really hard

when your sleigh is a plastic phone card

and hearing the kid’s wishes about presents for Christmas,

through Skype.

 

In places like Iraq and Afghanistan,

where death and danger are close at hand,

the only gift may be a good meal.

Santa doesn’t venture into firefights.

 

They may get a meal that’s not wrapped in plastic

and an officer’s speech calling them fantastic,

reminding them that they would get to make a phone call

if the battalion had more phones.

 

Christmas wishes voiced by fighters

like toilet paper, baby wipes, and rucks that are lighter

are often lost in the winter wind.

Santa doesn’t venture into war zones.

 

Remember Our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines

who fight the fight unheard and unseen.

It’s our freedom and our honor they defend

out there in those foreign fields.

 

A mother’s greatest of all gifts today

will be a phone call to hear a child say,

“I love you, Mom, and I’m O.K.

  I’ll be carried home on the shoulders of my brothers

  and not upon my shield.”

 

 

David L. Carmichael

The Warrior Poet

December 25, 2009 

 

Reviews

[.]

well that is a wake up call for everyone who takes the little things for granted..this is a belly punch..that leaves you a little winded..but a good winded...thanks for sharing such a poignant message

[Coyote Poetry]

I tell people the same thing as in your words. A good razor. A lot of mail is needed. I remember when I got back in 1992. A bunch of Grandmothers and mother's were at the airport. They gave us juice and cookies. They gave us hugs and we felt at home and safe. Your poem is needed to be read also. We can't forget the Soldiers. Yesterday at the Michigan memorial. A old man with tears saluted his friend loss in WW2. Soldiers must insure all Soldier are took care of.
Coyote

[Kelsie Eileen Stark]

Wow, I love this. it brought tears to my eyes...Its hard to believe the hardest working people don't even get gifts for Christmas. Thank you for writing this.