Photo scene from A Christmas They Never Forgot
This is a poem I wrote more than a decade ago. I decided to share it again. Enjoy!
A Christmas Eve Prairie Visit by Cheryl Malandrinos
'Twas the night before Christmas,
and out on the prairie,
Not a creature was stirring,
not even young Carrie;
The stockings were hung on the mantle with care,
In hopes that Santa Claus would leave his fair share;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of heart-shaped cookies sprinkled with sugar danced in their heads;
And Pa in his nightshirt and Ma in her gown,
Had finished their popcorn and turned the bed down.
When out by the barn there arose such a clatter,
Pa sprang from his bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the kitchen he flew like a flash,
Looked out the window and then heard a crash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Caused Pa to blink twice at the broken fence down below,
When into his wondering eyes came the view,
Of a miniature sleigh,
and a tiny herd of pack mules,
With a little old driver,
so lively and quick,
Pa knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
Slower than molasses his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
Move Clementine! Step it up Abner!
Get along Myron and Rupert!
Pick it up Gracie! Pick it up Millie!
Faster now Willie and Albert!
Past the rain barrel!
And past the lean-to!
Now make it around to the side of the house all of you!
As slow as a cow chewing its cud,
When asked to come home and they plop with a thud,
So around the house his coursers they sauntered,
With the sleigh full of toys,
and an old man who wandered.
And soon Pa heard on the side of the house,
The scratching and clawing of old man Claus.
As Pa hid behind the tree and was turning around,
Down the chimney Santa came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur from his head to his toe,
And his clothes were in desperate need of a sew.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like Mr. Edwards just opening his pack.
His eyes were like Mary's!
His dimples like Carrie's!
His cheeks were like Grace's,
his nose like a cherry.
His droll little mouth was drawn up in a pout.
The beard on his chin covered most of his face, just about;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And Pa thought the tobacco smelled mightly sweet;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed,
Like Ma's bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump,
A right jolly old elf,
And Pa laughed when he saw him,
In spite of himself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon let Pa know
he had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word,
But went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings;
then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh,
to his pack gave a wail,
And away they all meandered like a broken-winged quail.
But Pa heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight,
Merry Christmas to all,
and to all a good night!
