Christmas Silhouette
~1941 ~
by John
E. Caughman
Since I was a youngster in the 40's, the war
was not serious to me.
One of the most exciting parts was when Mother and Daddy picked
up service men at our church USO canteen and brought them home
for the weekend.
We took advantage of our "captive audience", by putting
on our own patriotic USO shows via the old console radio that
Daddy rigged up so we could transmit our programs as well as give
live performances.
Thus, the beginning of my acting career !
We kept in touch with two of these honored guests for many years.
One, we still receive Christmas cards from.......a very special
time.
This verse, from my mother's scrapbook,
expresses the lonliness of our servicemen away from home at
Christmas.
*******************************
Tonight a
sentry’s rifle is my Christmas tree
The night wind sighing is my Yuletide cry.
With lonely step I watch the silent sea.
Tonight we are alone, my gun and I.
My gun is trimmed with brass and steel,
My tin hat is heavy, cold and wet.
Slowly we walk the midnight watch—
A man, a gun...
A Christmas Silhouette.
Yet, I know—my gun, it does not know—.
The snapping cedars and pinions bright,
The room smelling of pine and holly,
And the warmth and love of a Christmas night,
Even now, under these darkening skies
The vision of a ewer with silver handles
Comes like a dream to my tired brain,
And, yes, I smell the bayberry candles.
One Christmas—not long ago—
there was another gun,
A gun wrapped in tinsel, ribbons, tags and all.
A note; “With love to you, my son, for sport;
Get the ducks when it comes fall.”
Those days have swept away on the rising tide,
Gone like the hurried turning of a page.
The words of the Great Prince have dimmed;
We are left with malice, hate and rage
.
We have come to that time of wrath and hate
When death wings down from the sky;.
When Christmas lights go dim—go black
We walk the beach alone—my gun and I.
But we must keep faith—my gun and I.
We must stand guard in the wind and rain.
And we shall pray, yes.
Hear our prayer,
“May the Prince of Peace return
again."
******************
Music is: "I'll Be Home for Christmas"
Happy Holiday
Christmas Letter
Christmas is for Children
The Crippled Lamb
Hark!
In a Manger
Santa is Coming
'Twas the
Night After Christmas
( From Christmas in the '40"s)
Christmas Silhoutte
Santa Clause, Please Listen
©Copyright 1999
Barbara Jenkins
All rights reserved unless otherwise noted.