On December 7th, 2000, Michael Marks reached out to a seldom-used part of his writing background to share a small word of thanks to the troops who sacrificed so much to keep this nation safe. That poem, A Soldier's Christmas, became an internet sensation and has appeared in newspapers, magazines and newsletters around the world as well as literally thousands of web sites such as the prestigious International War Veteran's Poetry Archive.

As the body of his patriotic writings grew, Mr. Marks was deeply honored to be named the Poet Laureat of the Ninth Infantry Division (SONID) and receive the IWVPA's Bronze Helmet award for excellence. The most treasured recognition however remains the numerous letters that continue to arrive from service men and women, from their families and friends, who take the time to share their responses.

To this day these poems continue to circulate among millions of emails, they are performed on YouTube videos and have been performed at museum openings and public venues across the country. Radio stations have produced and aired professional dramatic readings and most recently, country music superstar Michael Martin Murphey produced a musical rendition of A Soldier's Christmas which was performed before cheering crowds on his national Cowboy Christmas tour.

These poems can be read in their entirety by clicking on their titles below:

A Soldier's Christmas

The Sands of Christmas

Reporting from the Front

Christmas Wish

A Day to Remember

The Name on the Wall

The Things I Carry

The Treasures We Don't Own

When Titans Walked

Who Stands Alone

Burned in My Memory

An illustrated collection of patriotic poetry by Michael Marks,
entitled What So Proudly We Hail, is currently in development.