Bah! Humbug!

A poem in dispraise of Christmas

They came upon the midnight – clear

As bottled beer I swear,

A band of angels drawing near

And hovering in the air;

‘Fear not!’ they sang. ‘There’s joy in store,

Rejoice, we come to bless

And sing, Though Christmas comes once more,

Praise be! It comes once less.’

Their song turned misery to cheer

And haplessness to hope,

And now, when Christmas comes each year,

I have the strength to cope

In knowing that I need endure

The press, the mess and stress

Of Yuletide torment, not once more,

But, praise the Lord, once less.