AS WE APPROACH ANOTHER YULE

 

As we approach another Yule

Its time I went off on the pull

Looking for a Christmas honey

Someone attractive and funny

And if I manage to attract her

I will pull a Christmas cracker

WE COULD HAVE

 

We could have raised a glass

With all the usual crowd

We could have gone to mums

And spent Christmas in Stroud

 

We could have jetted off

For sand and sea and sun

We could’ve gone to my bro’s

Were they have “lots of fun”

 

We could have stayed at home

And just had “a quiet one”

Laughing at the annual

Morecambe and Wise rerun

 

But we decided to avoid this year

The usual helter skelter

And help cook Christmas dinner

At the homeless shelter

MAY THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON

 

May this Christmas season

Be overflowing with Christmas spirit

Enough to banish all the Grinch’s

And the Ebenezer Scrooges

And make it a very merry Christmas

SCROOGE and MARLEY (Deceased) – STAVE 5 – THE END OF IT – Verses 1 to 2

 

A POEM by Paul Curtis, BASED ON THE STORY by

Charles Dickens “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”

 

VERSE 1 - REDEMPTION

 

Yes! And the bedpost was his own as was the bed

The room was his and the curtains on the bedstead

But the Best and happiest of all and most amazing

The Time before him was his, to make amends in!

“I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!”

He repeated, as he scrambled out of bed “I assure”

“The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me.

On my knees I say it on my knees, old Jacob Marley!

Heaven, and the Christmas Time be praised for this

He was fluttered and glowing and brimful of bliss

He had sobbed hard in his struggle with the spirit

And his face was wet with tears as evidence of it

He folded a bed-curtain about him as if held in a spell

Then he cried “They are not torn down, rings as well

They are here, I am here and the would be shadow 

Will be dispelled all the shadows will be! That I know”

All this time his hands busied with his shirt and gown

Pulling them inside out and turning them upside down,

Scrooge was both laughing and crying simultaneously

And the said “I don't know what to do! I don’t really”

“I am as light as a feather,” he said skipping with joy

“I’m happy as an angel, I’m merry as a schoolboy

I’m giddy as a drunken man” he staggered and twirled  

“Merry Christmas and happy New Year to the world!”

He had danced off into the sitting room in his excess

And was now standing there winded and breathless

“There's the saucepan that the gruel was in!” he cried

Setting off again, and dancing around about the fireside

“There's the door, by which Marley’s Ghost entered at

And the corner where the Ghost of Christmas Present, sat

There's the window where I saw the wandering Spirits.

It’s all true, it all happened. And I haven’t lost my wits!”

He laughed heartily amazing for a man out of practice

It was a splendid illustrious laugh born of joy and bliss

Even he didn’t believe the brilliant laughter was his

Then he said, “I don't know what day of the month it is,”

“I don't know how long I've been among the Spirits

I don't know anything. And I don't care.” He admits

He was halted suddenly by the church bells ringing out

The lustiest peals he had ever heard without any doubt

He ran to the window, opened it, and put out his head.

No fog, no mist, but clear, bright, stirring, cold instead

Golden sunlight; heavenly sky; sweet fresh air, glorious

And the merry-bells pealed out oh, glorious Christmas!

Scrooge called down to a boy in Sunday clothes, “Hey!”

Scrooge paused to chuckle “You boy what’s to-day?”

“Eh?” returned the boy, with all his might of wonder.

“What's to-day, my fine fellow?” Scrooge called louder

“To-day?” replied the boy. “Why, it’s Christmas Day.”

“I haven't missed it.” Scrooge said “it’s Christmas day!

The Spirits have managed to do it all in one night

Well they can do anything they like, that’s right

Yes of course they can. Hallo, my fine young fellow!”

“Hallo!” returned the boy still standing down below

“Do you know the Poulterer's, in the next street but one

On the corner?” he inquired smiling when he had done.

The boy replied a little puzzled “I should hope I did,”

“An intelligent boy!” said Scrooge. “A remarkable kid!

Do you know whether they’ve sold the prize Turkey?

That was hanging up there, the great big one obviously?”

The boy replied smartly “What, the one as big as me?”

“What a delightful boy!” said Ebeneezer laughing-ly

“It's a pleasure to talk to him. Yes, my young fellow”

“It's hanging their now,” replied the boy. “That I know”

“Is it?” said Scrooge. “Go and buy it my young lad”

“What!” exclaimed the boy “You must be raving mad”

“No, no,” said Scrooge, “I am in earnest, Go and buy it,

Tell them to bring it here, and I will give an address for it”

At first the boy seemed a little reluctant to do the job

“Then come back with the man, and I'll give you a “bob”.

Do it under five minutes and I'll make it half-a-crown.”

The boy was off like a shot to find the Poulterer’s in town

“I'll send it to Bob Cratchit's!” Scrooge whispered low

And laughed heartily as the boy ran off through the snow

“It will be a surprise it's twice the size of Tiny Tim”

Sadly he reflected Bob would not suspect it sent by him

 

VERSE 2 – A POULTRY SUM AND TWO PORTLY GENTLEMEN

 

The hand he wrote the address in was not a steady one

But he wrote it and went down-stairs when it was done

As he stood, awaiting arrival of the Poulterer’s man

The knocker caught his eye, he thought how it all began

He touched it gently and admired its kind expression

The Turkey arrived and he labeled it with its destination

The Poulterer’s man was dispatched to Camden in a cab

And Scrooge duly paid half a crown out to the lad

Throughout his dealings with the Turkey and the boy

Scrooge chuckled unable to suppress his obvious joy

After shaving he dressed himself up all in his best

And at last got out into the streets and felt well blessed

People were by this time pouring forth to great extent

As they had when with the Ghost of Christmas Present

Scrooge walked with his hands behind him for a while

And he regarded every one with a most delighted smile

He looked so irresistibly pleasant that more than a few

Said, “Good morning, sir. A merry Christmas to you.”

Scrooge had not gone very far along his way when

Coming towards him he beheld the portly gentlemen

Who walked into his counting house on Christmas Eve

And said to him, “Scrooge and Marley's, I believe.”

A pang of regret crossed his heart as he recalled it

They may wish to avoid him he was forced to admit

But their displeasure he would just have to face

“My dear sir,” said Scrooge, quickening his pace,

And taking the older gentleman by both his hands

“How do you do. I hope you succeeded in your plans”

He then turned his attention to the other man’s partner

“It was very kind of you. A merry Christmas to you, sir!”

“Mr. Scrooge?” the man said his dislike obvious to view

“That’s my name, and I fear not a pleasant one to you

Allow me to ask your pardon. And have the goodness” 

Here Scrooge whispered in his ear and eased his distress

“Lord bless me!” he cried as if his breath were taken

“My dear Mr. Scrooge, are you serious? Am I mistaken?”

“If you please,” said Scrooge. “And not a farthing less.

A great many back-payments are included in it, I confess

Will you do me that favor?” Scrooge asked of them

“My dear sir,” said the other, shaking hands with him

“We don't know what to say to such munificence. Sir”

“Please say nothing,” He retorted “I would prefer”

“Come and see me. Will you come and see me?”

“We will!” they both cried who would do it clearly

“Thank you both, I am much obliged Bless you!”

After his meeting it was the church that he went to

He walked the streets watching people come and go

Sharing smiles and hello’s as they hurried to and fro

Scrooge found that everything could yield him pleasure

A simple walk gave him happiness beyond measure

IS SANTA CLAUS REALLY A WOMAN # 2

Is Santa Claus really a woman?

Why has this not come up before?

If it were left to a man everything

Would come from the corner store

21st CENTURY NURSERY RHYMES # 332

 

Flour of England, fruit of Spain,

Met together in a shower of rain;

Let’s make Christmas pudding again

REMEMBRANCE SHINES

Remembrance shines most

Bright, like the Christmas candlelight,

During the Christmas rite