The Christmas Eve Poem....

This is the poem I made up for my husband.... very very loosely based on 'Twas The Night Before Christmas......


'Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house, not a scorpion was stirring, not a bat nor a mouse.

The tools were all hung in the garage with care, in hopes they wouldn't be needed before the handyman came there.

The chickens were nestled all snug in their coop, while visions of crickets danced in their heads.

And L in her sweater and I in my cap, had just settled down for a long winter's nap.

When out in the field there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

And what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a red and black truck, along with eight reindeer!

With a tool-laden driver, so lively and grand-- I knew in a moment that it must be Wayland!

More rapid than tractors his reindeer they came, and he whistled and shouted and called them by name:

"Now Sears! Now Lowe's! Now Ace and Home Depot! On, Hardware! On, Lumber! On, Black and Decker! To the top of the porch! To the top of the roof! Now scrape away, paint away, fix away all!"

Up to the house-top with ladders he flew, with a truck full of tools and paint brushes, too!

And then in a twinkling, I heard on the porch rail... the sawing and sanding and hammering of each screw and nail.

As I drew in my head and was turning around, down the ladder Wayland came with a bound.

He was dressed all in denim from the top of his head to the toes of his feet. And his clothes were all tarnished with caulking and paint and lunch-meat.

A bundle of tools he had flung on his back... and it looked as if a hardware store was tucked in his sack!

His eyes-- how they twinkled! His dimples-- how merry! His smile went from ear to ear.... by the looks of this house, he'd have work for a whole year!

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work... and filled all the holes with putty and paint.
And lookng at my home from porch to roof, he smiled and said "A new house this ain't."

When he was done that first day, he sprang to his truck and to his team gave a whistle--- and away they all flew as he whispered "Yes sir! Yes sir! Yes sir!"

But I heard him exclaim as they drove out of sight: "Merry Christmas to all old houses on this windy cold night!"