A Christmas Poem

       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