Silent Night --December 24 1914-Somewhere in France

Christmas Eve in the Trenches
1914 somewhere in France

The trenches were strangely silent that night.
An occasional report from a snipers rifle.
No barrage of cannon fire or mustard gas.
The life was hell wet freezing cold and dark.
Men living in trenches in what had once been
a farmer’s field growing wheat to sustain life.
It was Christmas Eve
At Midnight a silent icy winter moon
Then in the frost and snow a single voice
Singing beautifully in its native German
That loveliest of carols. Oh Holy Night.

O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night divine
O night, o night divine

The beautiful old song of Christmas praise
Drifted over the no man’s land
Between the trenches.
The British soldiers listened
in respectful silence.

When the carol; was finished
A young British soldier
stood up in the trench
and sang Silent Night
in his native English.

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace

All over this place of madness war and death.
A common strand of humanity filled their hearts.
In silence some soldiers walked out of the trenches
Into no man’s land the Germans did the same.
No weapons they were just ordinary men
Shaking hands exchanging gifts.
of cigarettes and chocolate.
Showing each other pictures
of wives and children

A makeshift soccer field was made.
And some young men played a game.
At the end of the day they returned
To the trenches.
Christmas was over
Gunfire and explosions
Filled the air.
The madness resumed