CHRISTMAS EVE
On the night before Christmas
I said to my son
“Come on, up the stairs now
Or Santa won’t come”
“Have I been good enough?
Will he come? Will he Dad?”
“Of course he will mate
You’ve been an extra good lad”
I kissed him on his head
Tucked him cosy in his quilt
“Night night son,” I said
With my mind full of guilt
If I’d tried harder at school
I could have carved a career
Then had enough money
To fill his Christmas with cheer
But money was sparse
Like his gifts by the tree
I loved him so much
But love won’t fill him with glee
Just then all went silent
And snow it did fall
I watched through the window
It built up on the wall
As the snow tumbled down
The green lawn became white
A loud tap on the window
Gave me a fright
On the ledge stood a Robin
His breast full and red
He fluffed up his feathers
And shook snow off his head
Distant bells I heard jingle
And a voice full of cheer
“That’s the house Prancer
Set us down have no fear”
I heard reigns being stretched
Snorting beasts and a booming “WHOA!!!”
Then a CRASH a BANG and THUD
My garden blew up with snow
The window was covered
I couldn’t see out
But I knew what had landed
There was simply no doubt
From behind me, a voice
“HO HO HO” it said
I turned, and I saw him
Dressed in black white and red
My eyes so wide open
My jaw hanging so low
St. Nick was before me
All dusted with snow
The man didn’t look at me
Just busied himself
Stacking parcels galore
With the help of an Elf
Then he walked to the door
Glanced back and said with a wink
“You deserve this young man
For the way that you think”
The door shut behind him
Then his voice boomed from outside
“DASHER!.. COMET!.. BLIXEN!
Let’s get on with this ride”
I heard animals snort
Hooves muffled in the snow
Then a scrape, a slide, then silence
Just a distant ‘HO HO HO’
I awoke with a jolt
The door slammed shut with a thud
Pyjama clad my son shouted
“DAD LOOK, I’VE BEEN GOOD!”
His eyes now wide open
His mouth beaming a smile
He ripped open the gifts
There was such a big pile
My son was so happy
A perfect Christmas day
I heard a tap on the window
And watched the Robin fly away
Philip Parry 2013
