[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 17929-17930]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   IN HONOR OF CORPORAL MICAHEL P. NICHOLSON'S SERVICE TO HIS COUNTRY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KATHY CASTOR

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 18, 2012

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of one of 
Florida's brightest sons, Corporal Michael, P. Nicholson of The United 
States Marine Corps, Echo Company. On July 6, 2011 in an IED blast 
Corporal Nicholson was almost mortally wounded when he lost his legs 
and part of his left arm and numerous other injuries. His personal 
decorations include The Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon and numerous 
other service awards. Michael was 2nd Platoon Mortar Chief and 
Assistant Patrol Leader. This strong young man from Tampa has been 
through hell and back and with much more to overcome he has been a 
shining example to all, and makes you proud to say you're an American. 
The Tampa Bay community honors his service to our great country. What 
Michael ``Stands For,'' is magnificent, and few of us will ever reach 
the heights to which he has already scaled in his short lifetime and 
will into the future. A Marine's Marine, our thoughts and prayers go 
out to him and his family. I submit this poem penned in his honor by 
Albert Caswell.

                          Stand For Something

     Stand!
     Stand for something,
     or live for nothing at all!
     Die for something,
     or the rest of your life so crawl!
     Stand!
     Better to give up your strong arm and legs,
     then look back at all of that emptiness that you so gave this 
           world, you saw!
     And so realize,
     that your life really meant nothing at all!
     Stand for something!
     So noble and so very tall!
     Better,
     to make a difference with it all!
     And so answer that most heroic of all calls!
     That call to arms!
     That call to war!
     That call to death,
     for all of our freedoms to so insure!
     Because,
     moments are all that we so have!
     To stand tall!
     To change the world!
     To go off with our flags unfurled!
     To stand for something!
     All in that blood that binds you,
     but to so answer that most noble cause!
     To stand for something,
     to where only such hearts of honor are so called!
     Yea Stand!
     Stand for something,
     or live for nothing at all!
     To shine,
     to make a difference with it all!
     But,
     To wear those magnificent shades of green!
     And be but only one of ``The Few'',
     But to be only one of The very Bold!
     To have and to hold!
     Our Nation's most precious of all Gold!
     A United States Marine!
     One of the best damn things,
     that this country has ever seen!
     As already Michael,

[[Page 17930]]

     in your short life as you have so convened!
     All in that fight,
     with all your might!
     As you were so magnificently seen!
     As it was on that fateful day,
     when your fine life almost went away!
     As a IED explosion,
     halfway to Heaven on that day!
     When,
     something so deep down inside of you would not give way!
     Because you were born to lead,
     even in your darkest days!
     As the tears ran down your most heroic face!
     Because Nicholson,
     your fine life that still had so much more to say!
     For you had miles to go,
     and mountains to so climb on your most heroic way!
     And so many hearts to so heal,
     and to so inspire,
     lifting them all so ever higher!
     While, all of the Angels for you so prayed!
     As you Michael,
     still have such life of happiness that which before you so 
           awaits!
     As you Michael may have lost your two strong legs and arm!
     But they'll not touch your great heart of amazing grace,
     that which so inside of you so beats and burns so very warm 
           this very day!
     The one that which you were so born with,
     that which so says Marine get up and move on . . . the course 
           to stay!
     And Pity is not a town where you will ever stay!
     As you so teach us!
     As you so reach us!
     As you so beseech all in every way!
     With the kind of lessons about life that only a kid like you 
           could say!
     As you rain mortars of hope down upon us all,
     all in what your fine heart has so to convey. . .
     Because, already in your short life Michael. . .
     you've traveled higher and farther than any of us ever will 
           or may!
     Because, you so Stood For Something!
     And as you Still Do, To This Very Day!
     For Something, So Noble and So Brilliant, and So Bright!
     Someone To So look Up To,
     whose most courageous heart brings such light!
     These rays!
     Marine, I could climb the highest mountain,
     and yet never would I reach where you stand this day!
     For only a few in heaven will so stand, as they!
     And if ever I had a son Michael,
     I wish he could but be half the man you are in every way!
     Who Stands for Something so very brilliant,
     that which most of us never may!
     All in you in what I saw,
     as our hearts to you Michael so run!
     Because in The Game of Life,
     you are a Champion in every way!
     Oh how I wish I could stand as tall as you this very day!
     What have you stood for, out on life's way?
     Stand!

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