‘Twas the night before Christmas and spread out all
Through the house,
No masked family members were stirring,
Not even a mouse.
The stockings were sanitized, by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas be allowed to come there.
The children nestled all snug in their beds,
They had dreams of travel and parties dancing in their heads.
And Mama in her mask and I with my COVID protective cap,
Had just settled in for a long, long, long winter’s nap.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window – with anti-bacterial spray in hand– I flew like a flash,
Decontaminated the shutters and, sprayed some on the sash.
The moon on the ground of the green and brown lawn,
Highlighted shadows that kind of looked like fawns,
When what to my shield-covered, wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh with eight masked reindeer.
With a little old driver, so old and so thick,
I hoped that it wasn’t a Covid St. Nick.
More rapid than media rumours his coursers they came,
He croaked and he mumbled as he whispered their names
Now Covid! Now Corona! Now Fauci and Cuomo!
On Quarentine! On Pfizer! On Astra- Zaneca and Moderna!
To the people Get Ye – Get Ye to one and to all!
Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!
And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof,
The prancing and pawing of each protective bootied hoof.
As I drew in my ever-sanitized hands, I turned around and,
Down came St. Nick with a bound.
He was dressed all in Kevlar and fur, from his head to his foot,
And his protective robe was all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of medicine he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a mailman opening his pack.
His eyes how they twinkled! However, rest of his face
Was covered by a red and white mask,
But it didn’t stop him from getting right to his task.
He had a happy, but serious face and a little round Covid belly,
That shook when he laughed like a bowl full of sanitizer jelly.
He was chubby and plump for a right jolly old nisse
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know that I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work.
Filling the stockings with Qvikk Lunsj, vials of vaccine and hope,
He turned with a jerk, and laying his surgical glove finger to the side of his nose,
Gave a nod and up the chimney he rose,
He sprang to his sleigh and, to his team he gave a mask-muffled call
And away they all flew, like blowing leaves in the Fall.
Now Covid! Now Corona! Now Fauci and Cuomo!
On Quarentine! On Pfizer! On Astra-Zaneca and Moderna!
To the people Get Ye! – Get Ye to one and all!
And I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight;
“There is hope for all! And Hope comes tonight!”
Merry Christmas to all and to all a peaceful night!
AND, A MUCH BETTER 2021!
Please note:
- Nisse is a Norwegian elf
- Qvikk Lunsj is Norway’s Kit-Kat candy bar
Credit - John Sorteberg