IT'S CHRISTMAS ONCE MORE,
Unlike the One in Forty-Four!

We wondered if Christmas of '45
Would find us alive
After the sad Christmas of forty-four
But, unbelievably, it's Christmas once more.

Have started this Christmas poem
Many time to explain
How we longed for this Christmas,
Which, by the grace of God, came again!

Back from the islands of the sea,
From which airmen set us free.
A final ride back to the USA,
To loved ones from whom we went away!

Christmas morn of forty-five,
Warmed our hearts to be alive.
No Japanese planes or awful flak
To prevent our coming back!

With our sweetheart or wife
Now a real part of our life.
The carols we use to sing
This year has a special ring!

Some now hold children never seen,
With the warmest embrace,
We look into their eyes so pure,
As they, reluctantly, touch our face.

Gifts under the tree
In packages of many sizes,
And everyone, it is plain to see
That they and we are filled with surprises!

The smells of Christmas is everywhere,
Unlike the smells in the planes we flew.
There is no doubt we are home again,
But a bit unsure of what we'd do!

What is it like to hold a wife
So tenderly, yet so real.
We'll never forget Christmas of 45,
And the kisses we could steal!

Walking on air, we are
At an altitude we've never flown.
Thank God for Christmas ' 45.
It's pure magic that we are home!

Oh, our God, we thank you
For our stint in World War Two,
And that we are much alive
At Christmastime of forty-five!

©Copyright November 27, 2002 by C. Douglas Caffey

Addenda: SallyAnn; sorry that it took so long to write this with a happy pen, but pain kept the words locked within. Not to have pain is to live again, and to look for a repeat of this coming Christmas, like that special one in forty-five!