From Douglas Dick (With apologies to Dr. Clement C. Moore)
T’was the Night before Christmas, all through Shepperton Town,
No-one was smiling, all had a frown;
The stockings were hung by the chimneys with care,
But what chance had St. Nick and his sleigh to be there?
The Children were nestled all snug in their beds’
But “Covid” and “Lock-down” ran through their Heads;
And Ma in her face-mask and I with my scarf,
Had all-but abandoned a Christmas-Day laugh?
When out on the road we heard such a commo-tion;
Could it be that Christmas-Eve was really in motion?
I rose slowly from slumber to see what was in-train?
I drew-back the curtains and opened the pane.
The man-in-the-moon shone with a smile on his face,
No ‘masking’ his joy in a two-meter space
What! A sleigh and eight reindeer came into view.
No rule-of-six it would seem, for this crew!
Tier one, two or three – just take your pick.
But a red-coated driver – it must be St. Nick.
His reindeer were flying with antlers aflame,
Nothing daunted he called them each by his name:
Now, Dasher! Now Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen,!
On, Comet! On Cupid on, Donner and Blitzen!
Alert as they must, they fly to the roof, With hand-Santarizers for bridle and hoof.
As I drew in my head and checking my space
Down the chimney St Nicholas dropped in apace.
He was dressed all in fur, from his charity shopping?
And like-wise the toys in his sack were a-topping.
Even though through a visor his eyes still they twinkled,
And his cheeks were like roses, his nose all a-wrinkled
His wide face smiled broadly and his generous belly,
With too-little work from Joe Wickes on the tele’.
He was chubby and plump, and brimming with mirth,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of his girth.
Snow-white beard glowed thru’ pipe-smoke a-plenty
But no Big-Tree Night in this year, Twenty-Twenty.
He spoke not a word – ‘cause his pipe, beard and mask
Would make such an action, a difficult task.
Filling each stocking with Prezzo vouchers galore,
Turned on his heels and up the chimney he tore.
He sprang to his sleigh with its over-sized team,
Social distanced-away – as if in a dream,
But I heard him exclaim ere he flew out of sight:
A HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO SHEPPERTON
And to all A GOOD NIGHT.