I wrote this about 30 years ago when my kids were young and we lived on Sunset Street. It was typical of Christmas at our house, slow start and a good finish.
T'was
the week before Christmas and down at our Hovel
Nothing
was ready; the confusion was awful.
No
Holiday spirit; it just wasn't right.
Not
one civil word, just fight after fight.
The
dust and the dishes and all unmade beds,
No
lights on the eaves, no home-made bread.
"Marley
was dead?" Somewhere under the sink,
For
over three weeks, from the garbage pail stink.
The
food in the freezer was cold to the touch
No
mince pie or turkey, just broccoli and such.
The
gifts that were bought lay unwrapped in the closet
"No
payments till June, just make a deposit".
A
Charlie Brown Tree, in the corner it stood
Wishin’
it were back buried deep in the wood.
Then
came the Spirit of Christmas at last:
A
Rita MacNeil song on Bron's ghetto blast!
Scrooge
took time off from RPC Inc,
To
deal with the dishes piled high in the sink.
Cratchet
came home from his office at work.
With
roses for Scrooge cause he'd been a jerk.
And
the weather got cold as a mom-in-law's kiss.
It
snowed like the Dickens, so Ky got her wish.
Lyn
got out the box with the tree decorations.
We
sent out some letters to friends and relations.
Son
felt quite Grinchly, coming home lame
From
spraining his ankle at a basketball game,
But
"Tiny Tim" was nice to his sisters for free;
He
let them watch "NC Double A" on TV.
We
spruced up the place, hung wreaths in the halls,
Holly
and mistletoe, bright coloured balls.
We
took out the garbage and dusted and baked,
And
had friends come in for hot chocolate and cake.
We
watched Christmas Specials and read Christmas books
And
sang Christmas songs and praised Christmas cooks...
What
a wonderful Christmas, sheer joy and delight.
May
you too hear Rita when she sings "Silent Night".
Rita MacNeil (1944-2013) is a Canadian song writer and folk singer from Cape Breton Island, with a life story as amazing as her voice. Her Working Man, sung with the Men of the Deeps, is the anthem of what is left of the coal mining industry in Nova Scotia. Her first Christmas Album Let the Bells Ring 1988, which we owned as a cassette, has been re-released as JoyfulSounds. Her rendition of Silent Night is one of the most moving versions I know of.
Since I could not find a video of Rita singing Silent Night on YouTube, I got my friend Walt Dunn to make one for me from my MP3
Thank you and your friend for the beautiful rendition by an artist I did not know.
ReplyDeleteAnd a big YES to your Christmas story. I hope that many, many families find that ending and am pretty damn certain that the beginning is familiar to most of us.
EC, I hope you listen to the many Christmas and other songs from Rita MacNeil on YouTube. I wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in the wonderful land of OZ.
ReplyDeleteGreat poem! And I loved Rita MacNeil too. When we were in Cape Breton a few years ago, we went to her tea house and saw her ashes in the teapot! The tea house had all her awards and memorabilia too -- it was great!
ReplyDeleteDebra, we were there in 2000 and she was in Toronto so we saw the tea house and that was it. I love her songs. We went to see her a few times live in Regina. Great show. She is missed by many.
ReplyDeletethis I love
ReplyDeleteThank you Jackiesue. I am glad
ReplyDeleteThank You for Sharing that humorous and yet lovely ending Poem written so long ago, and yet, it could be Today, right?! Merry Christmas 2020, may it End Well too and you Stay Well!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it could apply to many families, Bohemian. Merry Christmas and stay safe. 2021 will be better (he said hopefully)
ReplyDeleteI got a chuckle from your Christmas poem - I'm sure just about everyone can relate! Thanks for sharing Rita McNeil, too - lovely.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
Thanks, Diane, Merry Christmas to you too
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, that is a mighty powerful Christmas poem.... it describes the days getting closer to Christmas.... and them a wonderful time celebrating with the family.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I never listened much to Rita McNeil but she was a definite Canadian icon.
Merry Christmas to you and Tanya and all the dogs and cats.
Sadly I shall be having Christmas alone this year (thank you Mr Covid) but we have a huge family Christmas party planned for July... or perhaps August.... or maybe October..... hmmm.
Hi, Shamm, glad you enjoyed the poem. I'm less of a poet than a Rhymester, as Robert W Service called himself. I love the music of Cape Breton Island. Maybe it is the Irish-Scots in me. Sorry you are alone for Christmas but sometime in 2021 your family gathering will make up for it. Better to miss a Christmas than to miss all the rest, I guess. Happy Holidays
ReplyDelete