A Christmas Poem
Sandra Maggs
Twas the night before Christmas,
when all over the world
Parents were trying to bribe boys
and girls
The cattle were lowing in a
manger somewhere
In hopes that Santa Claus soon
would be there;
The children were standing at
windows to peep
Saying over and over I can’t get
to sleep
With Mum in the kitchen and Dad
in the pub
I lay there thinking of Xmas day
grub
When in to my room on the tiniest
breeze
Came the slightest sound of a
feverish sneeze
I went to the window and stared
into the night
On the rooftop next door I
noticed a light
I crept from my room and into the
hall
Down the stairs and out through
the front door
When what to my wondering eyes
did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight
tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver who
looked very sick,
I knew in a moment he must be St.
Nick.
"Hey Santa, what’s wrong?" I called
to the man
And he beckoned to me with a
slight wave of hand
"I’m sorry my dear I have a bad
cold
My head is so sore and I’m just
feeling old
I know that on me the kids all
rely
But tonight I’m afraid I don’t
want to fly"
"I’ll help you," I said climbing into
the sleigh
With Santa beside me I picked up
the reigns
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer!
now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner
and Blitzen!
From the rooftop up high to the
top of a wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash
away all!"
So off round the world with the
reindeer we flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and
St. Nicholas too
As he shivered we flew from
village to town
To deliver the goods that for
children, were bound
As we flew through the night I
got such a thrill
Even though Santa was terribly
ill
He was dressed all in fur, from
his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all blotted
with ashes and soot;
His eyes—how they watered, his dimples,
once merry
His cheeks were all sallow, his
nose like a cherry!
"It won’t be much longer Santa," I
said
"Just a few more stops and then
straight home to bed"
He snuggled right up in his fluffy
fine wear
And I smiled to myself because I
was there
No one would believe me when I
told my saga
They’d say what a shame, Sandra’s
gone gaga
When I woke the next morn, on new
day so clean
I pondered the night, had it all
been a dream?
But tucked in the pocket of my
warmest coat
From the jolly old man was a
thank you note
A secret for me and one that I’d shield
‘Til this Xmas eve when I decided
to yield
That Once upon a time in a
wonderful way
Father Christmas was sick and I
saved the day
So where ever you are when you
read of this plight
“Merry Christmas to all, and to
all a good night!”