12/06/2021
I copied this off of another friend.
T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
SHE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BED KENWORTH
MADE OF FIBERGLASS AND CROME,
I HAD COME DOWN THE ISLE,
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO,
IN THIS TRUCK, DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A SMALL TREE.
NO STOCKING BY SMOKE STACK,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE DASH BOARD HUNG PICTURES,
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH HATS,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT,
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS TRUCK WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A TRUCK DRIVER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE DRIVER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE SEAT,
IN THIS ONE BUNK HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED,
A TRUE MODERN TRUCK DRIVER.
WAS THIS THE HOME,
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A RUBBER SEAT,
THE CHAIR FOR A BED?
I REALISED THE FAMILIES,
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE DRIVERS,
WHO WERE WILLING TO DRIVE,
SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE,
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FOOD,
EACH DAY OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE DRIVERS,
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 DRIVER AWAKENED,
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I DRIVE FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CHOIR."
THE DRIVER 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 DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE,
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR,
SO WILLING TO DRIVE.
THEN THE DRIVER 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 SHE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."
This poem was written by a Truck Driver