Category : Poems

Sub Category : N/A

The year was 1915 the day was christmas eve. 

Along the western front the guns fell silent giving us, From the war, a short reprieve. 


Along the front, on both sides, our thoughts were turned to home.

When amid the the silence, once filled with guns. arose a voice. a sweet rich baritone.


The melody and words he sang seemed to soar above the war.

And as he sang "O Tannenbaum" we forgot about all the blood and gore.


And when he finished "O Tannenbaum" he began to sing another song.

In german He sang silent night and in english we joined in and sang along.


Although we sang in different 

tongues it was as if one voice now filled the air.

And no longer was it just a song but it had now become a prayer.


To this day i don't  know what  possessed me to climb from  trench and enter no mans land.

But i had to meet the man with the sweet rich voice. I had to shake his hand. 


 i made my away across no man's land. The enemies line soon came into sight.

With my hands held high i walked and along singing silent night.


As i drew closer i heard  a  voice coming toward me a baritone singing Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht.

We soon stood face to face as the young german sang Alles schläft; einsam wacht.


Neither of us understood the others language but we understood each others smile.

And there in no mans land We shook each others hands and we sang Together for a while.


As the final notes of silent night hung in the still clear air i offered him my flask.

He seemed to understand just fine  when "would you like a drink" i asked.


By now others had left the trenches to gather in no mans land.

Not as english and germans, not as enemies, but to stand togather, man to man.


Wine was poured and toasts were given and pictures of our families we all shared.

a game of soccer soon began with no one keeping score and it seemed nobody cared. 


We joked and laughed and sang some more until the sun began to rise.

And as the sky began to brighten it was  time to say goodbye.


We returned to our own trenches through all the blood and gore. 

As we settled back into the dirt and mud we knew we'd soon be back at war.


As the sun rose higher in the sky once again the guns broke loose.
And we killed them and they killed us. but i will not forget one christmas eve there was a Soldiers truce!