Best E-mails of the Week 12/9/01

Poetry Corner:

MY FORGETTER!

> > My forgetter's getting better
> > But my rememberer is broke
> > To you that may seem funny
> > But, to me, that is no joke.

> > For when I'm "here" I'm wondering
> > If I really should be "there"
> > And, when I try to think it through,
> > I haven't got a prayer!

> > Oft times I walk into a room,
> > Say "what am I here for?"
> > I wrack my brain, but all in vain
> > A zero, is my score.

> > At times I put something away
> > Where it is safe, but, Gee!
> > The person it is safest from
> > Is, generally, me!

> > When shopping I may see someone,
> > Say "Hi" and have a chat,
> > Then, when the person walks away
> > I ask myself, "who was that?"

> > Yes, my forgetter's getting better
> > While my rememberer is broke,
> > And it's driving me plumb crazy
> > And that isn't any joke.

This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan

."TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
> > > > >> HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
> > > > >> IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
> > > > >> PLASTER AND STONE.

> > > > >> I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
> > > > >> WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
> > > > >> AND TO SEE JUST WHO
> > > > >> IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

> > > > >> I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
> > > > >> A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
> > > > >> NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
> > > > >> NOT EVEN A TREE.

> > > > >> NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
> > > > >> JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
> > > > >> ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
> > > > >> OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

> > > > >> WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
> > > > >> AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
> > > > >> A SOBER THOUGHT
> > > > >> CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

> > > > >> FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
> > > > >> IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
> > > > >> I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
> > > > >> ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

> > > > >> THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
> > > > >> SILENT, ALONE,
> > > > >> CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
> > > > >> IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

> > > > >> THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
> > > > >> THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
> > > > >> NOT HOW I PICTURED
> > > > >> A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

> > > > >> WAS THIS THE HERO
> > > > >> OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
> > > > >> CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
> > > > >> THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

> > > > >> I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
> > > > >> THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
> > > > >> OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
> > > > >> WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

> > > > >> SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
> > > > >> THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
> > > > >> AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
> > > > >> A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

> > > > >> THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
> > > > >> EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
> > > > >> BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
> > > > >> LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

> > > > >> I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
> > > > >> HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
> > > > >> ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
> > > > >> IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

> > > > >> THE VERY THOUGHT
> > > > >> BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
> > > > >> I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
> > > > >> AND STARTED TO CRY.

> > > > >> THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
> > > > >> AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
> > > > >> "SANTA DON'T CRY,
> > > > >> THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

> > > > >> I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
> > > > >> I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
> > > > >> MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
> > > > >> MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

> > > > >> THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
> > > > >> AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
> > > > >> I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
> > > > >> I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

> > > > >> I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
> > > > >> SO SILENT AND STILL
> > > > >> AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
> > > > >> FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

> > > > >> I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
> > > > >> ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
> > > > >> THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
> > > > >> SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

> > > > >> THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
> > > > >> WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
> > > > >> WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
> > > > >> IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

> > > > >> ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
> > > > >> AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
> > > > >> "MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
> > > > >> AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

Seen on a Humvee or two: US Marines Bumper Sticker
"IT'S GOD'S RESPONSIBILITY TO FORGIVE BIN LADEN...
"IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ARRANGE THE MEETING..!!"

Here is the story of the Christmas truce during the Great War in 1914 (later renamed WW1). You may have heard it on NPR. The German and French troops were in fox holes just 60 yards apart the day before Christmas, and they each had been receiving presents from back home. The soldiers at first displayed their Christmas trees for the others to see. Next the Germans crawled into No man's land and left presents of cigars. The French then crawled out and left cigarettes for the Germans. When a soccer ball arrived as a present, both sides came out and played a game all day on Christmas. There was such good comaraderie, that on the 26th neither side wanted to kill the others, and so the troops had to be pulled from those trenches and replaced with other soldiers.

From the LCT

"Though the toll of innocent lives stolen so prematurely by terrorists on 9-11 is tragic, more Jews were murdered in Europe on each and every day for almost four years..".

Here are the events of December 7,1941 in the T's household.

It was a Sunday and the Bilangino Family was visiting. (I just had some homemade wine from the Bilangino's) Nick was listening to the ball game on the radio, when there was an interruption in the announcements. News of the attack on Pearl Harbor was flashed over the airwaves.
Aunt Rose was helping Grandma prepare a platter of "eggplant sott-olio," and the real impact of the news did not hit until the next day when everyone went to work. Grandma had celebrated her 40th birthday on 12/01/41 just six days before the attack on Pearl Harbor.

This picture of us was sent in some holiday cards to those of you who don't see us often.

At Kevin and Marjorie's over Thanksgiving.

Words to Silent Night

Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright round yon Virgin mother and Child, holy infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

Dutch: Stille nacht, heilige nacht, alles slaapt, sluimert zacht. Eenzaam waakt het hoog heilige paar, lieflijk Kindje met goud in het haar. Sluimert in hemelse rust, sluimert in hemelse rust.

French: O nuit de paix, Sainte nuit, dans le ciel l'astre luit. Dans les champs tout repose en paix, mais soudain dans l'air pur et frais, le brillant coeur des anges aux berges apparait.

Italian: Bianco Natal, Santo Natal. Tutti qua dormin gia, sol Maria veglia ancor, un piccino si stringe al cor. Dormi Gesu bambino, dormi bambino divin.

Polish: Ciccha noc, swieta noc. wszystko spi, atoli, tylko nad Boska dziecina, czuwa nam jozef z Maryja. Aby ta dziecina mala, spokoj niebieski mala.

German: stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, alles schlaft, einsam wacht, nur das traute hoch heilige Paar, holder Knabe in lokkingen Haar, Schlaf in himmlisher Ruh, schlaf in himmlisher ruh.

Dowidzenia,

Panstwo Peter