In this edition: Twas The Night Before Christmas... - Kiwibank
******
Twas The Night Before Christmas...
Twas the night before Christmas... (please read and pass on - you will see why at the bottom.)
T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE,
MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY,
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO,
IN THIS HOME, DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES,
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT,
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR,
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED,
AN AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER.
WAS THIS THE HERO,
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES,
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS,
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE,
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM,
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
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 SOLDIER AWAKENED,
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."
THE SOLDIER 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 DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE,
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR,
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER 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 HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."
This poem was written by a Peacekeeping soldier stationed overseas. The following is his request. I think it is
reasonable . . .
PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and
some credit is due to our Australian and New Zealand service men and women for our being able to celebrate these
festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes,
living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.
******
Kiwibank
Dear Scoop,
It appears to me from their letter regarding Kiwibank, your correspondent Lindsay Mitchell is under the false impression
that the ASB is a New Zealand-owned bank. It was bought up many years ago by Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Just for
Lindsay Mitchell's reference here is the list of NZ's own "Aussie banks":
Westpac Trust (including Trustbank)
ANZ (including Postbank)
BNZ (National Australia Bank)
ASB (Commonwealth Bank of Australia)
In addition, we have a "Pommie bank" too:
National Bank (including Rural Bank and Countrywide Bank, owned by Lloyds TSB)
Of course, the fact NZers are being fair dinkum screwed by our Aussie and Pommie cousins is of no consequence in the
debate over Kiwibank. It would be good to see more discussion of the Australian banking regulatory regime, which is at
least making some effort to keep the public there from being totally fleeced. Certaily must be convenient for them to
have a "free market" here to make up for all their hardship back home.
Cheers,
Stephen Walker
******
Reader feedback is welcomed at Scoop. Please send your views to editor@scoop.co.nz.