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54                A Police Offiers Night Before Christmas





          A Police Officer’s Night


                Before Christmas




              A Police Officer’s Night
            Before Christmas – A very

           touching version of Clement

              Moore’s ‘Twas the Night
           Before Christmas – as Santa

           Claus visits a sleeping cop. A

             warm tribute to all police
             officers everywhere. Code

                Four and Good Night.







          ‘Twas the night before Christmas,
                 Yet he slept all alone.
          In a one-bedroom house,
                 Made of plaster and stone.


          I had come down the chimney                    For I realized the families                     I didn’t want to leave him
                 With presents to give,                          That I saw this night,                         So quiet in the night,
          And to see just what man                       Owed their lives to these people                This guardian of justice,
                 In this small house did live.                   Who were willing to fight.                     So willing to fight.


          I looked all about,                            Soon round the nation                           But half asleep he rolled over,
                 What a strange site to see.                     The children would play,                       And in a voice clean and pure
          No tinsel, no presents,                        And grown-ups would celebrate                   Said, “Carry on Santa – it’s Christmas,
                 Not even a tree.                                On a bright Christmas day.                     All here is secure.”


          No stockings by the fire,Decorating Tree       They all enjoyed safety                         One look at my watch
                 Just boots spit-shined bright.                  Each month, and all year                       And I knew he was right.
          Then something else gleamed,                   Because of officers like him,                   Merry Christmas my friend,

                 Reflecting the moonlight.                       This man lying here.                           Code four and good night.


          They were medals and badges,                   I couldn’t help wonder
                 Awards of all kinds.                    How many were on patrol.
          And a sobering thought                         All alone on Christmas Eve
                 Soon came to my mind.                   Out in the shivering cold.


          For this house was different,                  I watched him for hours,
                 Unlike any I’d topped.                          So silent and so still,
          This was the home of an officer,               And I noticed that he shivered,
                 The home of a cop.                              From the cold nights chill.


          I’d heard stories about “them”,                So I took off my jacket,
                 And I had to see more.                          The one made of red.
          So I walked down the hall,                     And I covered this officer

                 And pushed open the door.                       From his toes to his head.


          And there he lay sleeping,                     Then I put on His jacket
                 Silent and alone.                               With the badge of silver and gold,
          Curled up on his bed,                          With the words ‘Police Officer’
                 In this one-bedroom home.                       Emblazoned so bold.


          He seemed so gentle,                           Though it barely fit me
                 His face weathered tan,                         I began to swell with pride,
          I soon understood                              And for one shining moment
                 That this was more than a man.                  I was an officer inside.
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