As some of my readers may remember on occasion I post my Mother’s poetry. She has a wonderful gift and through the years I have enjoyed reading her poems on my Birthday cards, Christmas cards and when I got married.
So I couldn’t think of a better way to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
And this year I think that she really outdid herself with “A Christmas Story” so without further ado I present the following:
A Christmas Story
TWAS a frosty winter’s night
And everyone was tucked up tight.
When at the door came a rat-tat
Too snug was I to see who’s that.
“Bob Cratchit” the wife said,
With a poke in the ribs,
“You’d better get up
It might be his Nibs!”
So quickly down the stairs I fly
In case it’s Mister Scrooge come by,
It wouldn’t do to have him wait
He’d dock my wage and no mistake!
But on peeping out the door
It was a stranger that I saw.
He had a beard and wore a cloak
And didn’t look like regular folk.
“Kind sir,” says he, in words of old,
“We need to shelter from the cold.
We’ve travelled far and lost our way
And do not have a place to stay.”
So not knowing what else to do,
I lift the latch and let them through.
In came a Lady, heavy with child;
Her face was gentle, sweetly mild.
I begged the Lady to sit herself down
And wrapped her in a shawl I found.
Then stoking the fire, what did I see?
Two pointy feet up in the chimney.
“What the dicken’s,” I cried,
When out of the flue,
A jolly Old Elf popped into view.
He gave a wink and said with a yawn,
“I’ll nap for a bit, ‘til toasty and warm.
The reindeers stand ready up on the roof,
So, we can dash off in a flash of a hoof!”
Before I had quite got over the shock,
I heard most distinctly another knock.
I flew to the door and on peering out
Saw Three Wise Men lurking about.
“If you please, may we enter within,
We’ve followed a Star in freezing wind.”
I had them sit, made everyone tea,
And never was there such a company.
Just when I hoped to have a good natter,
On the doorstep, appeared the Nutcracker.
Moustached and tall, he marches in
And a pretty Miss pirouettes after him.
I draw up chairs, they too sit down,
Crumpets and tea I hand around.
And once again, there was a knock
It was a Shepherd and his flock.
Oxen too and a donkey I saw
All crowded together at the door.
I stood in a daze at the hullabaloo,
Scratching my head at what to do?
Watching an Angel alight in a twinkling
And Rudolph’s red nose merrily blinking,
I began to worry what next there’d be?
P’raps a Partridge in a Pear tree!
I ran to and fro, was all in a dither,
Until the Lady bade me come hither,
“Surely there’s room out in the hall.
You could lay down some straw
And make it a stall.”
That’s what I did, and all was well,
And that’s my Story of the First Noël.
‘Tis time to put this tale to rest,
And wish you Good Cheer
And a Happy Christmas!
–SADove
Dec.-11-11