 The
letter To A Soldier
In a small box, in amongst the bows and bells
of holiday joy, there lies the envelope.
Weathered with age, its edges worn
almost through from the years of
chaffing against the sides of the box.
It is not the condition of the envelope
which is important, not its simple contents,
but rather the single memory, from
among all the Christmas memories
from all the Christmas's past, that it bears.
In the envelope, a single sheet of paper,
yellow paper, the kind they use in schools,
with the blue-green lines across it.
The yellow is now faded almost to
a pale maise and the blue-green is
nearly gone as well. The blue-black ink,
once so bold, now is paled but still quite clear.
The handwriting, unchanged in
the thirty years since it was first penned.
The paper unfolds twice, and is nearly
worn through at the folds.
A small paper Christmas ornament,
with matching creases and a pipecleaner hanger,
it glittery "Merry Christmas"
greeting nearly all worn off, falls
from between the creases as the letter opens.
As I gaze upon the words,
The tears are nearly the same as they
were the first time I saw the letter
in December, 1969.
The envelope is simply
addressed "Soldier, US Armed Forces, VietNam.
The letter still means as much
today as it did then, if not more.
Of all the letters I recieved from
friends and family while in the
service of our country, this is
the only one which I have kept. - It reads:
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I never met Cpl. Taylor nor Maryanne.
Today, she would be perhaps 39 years old.
Donald, if he were lucky enough to
return would be perhaps 50.
There is a Donald Taylor whose
name appears on The Wall.
Every Christmas,I pray that it is
some other Donald Taylor and
that Maryanne and her family
were spared the sorrow of the
other 57,000 families whose loved
ones names are borne on The Wall.
Sent to me by a Vietnam Veteran
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Wishing you
and yours
a joyous Christmas
and many
blessings in the
New Year.
Song by Elvis Presley
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© Copyright 1994 SusieA1114
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Sincerely, Susie
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