Dear Mum, <br /> <br />Sitting here I wondered why I won't be home for Christmas <br />the lads and me in company C feel sorry for those who'll miss us <br />on far off shores we'll keep the peace with hope and understanding <br />but God can sometimes make his lost son's birthday quite demanding, <br /> <br />The captain said the new year looks good for some recreation <br />the Scots lads hope he means going home for new year celebrations <br />they're not a bad bunch, sometimes rough, but hearts in the right places <br />I miss you all and love you, hope you have a merry Christmas, <br /> <br />Tell the folks I miss them say I'll get there when I can <br />but I've got work to do here I'm sure they'll understand <br />the Holy lands not far away just now from where I'm sitting <br />and the distant gunfire sounds like the christmas crackers I'll be missing, <br /> <br />The desert stars are so bright you'd believe there's peace on earth <br />and I feel like a hypocrite with guns on Jesus's birth <br />tomorrow we go on patrol in search of insurrection <br />I'm sure if Jesus had his say, he'd have plenty of objections, <br /> <br />The lads and me are doing what we can with what we've got <br />we even made a Christmas tree from an axle and some pots <br />on Christmas day we have a service in the padre's tent <br />Christmas dinner is provided in a tin the army sent, <br /> <br />When you hand out your presents we'll pass round the ammunition <br />the Santa outfit dad wears is nothing like the one I'm wearing <br />give my sister all my love and smother her with kisses <br />but I'm sorry to inform you that I won't be home for Christmas.<br /><br />Charles M. Moore<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/i-won-t-be-home-for-christmas/
