Nieuwjaarsbrief

Joan, an Itchmo reader, emailed us this holiday poem she wrote about Santa Big Paws:

T’was the night before Christmas,
When all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even…..Oh my,
The Newfies have eaten that old mouse!
The puppies have chewed the stockings beyond repair,
So the doggie dishes were placed by the chimney with care.
In hopes that Santa Big Paws soon would be there.
While visions of yummy cookies danced in their heads,
It started the Drooling in long spiral threads.

The Newfs had just settled down for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
Noses a twitching to see what’s a matter.
Away to the doggie door they flew like a flash,
Even Grandma Big Dog would make the mad dash!
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When what to the wondering eyes should appear,
But a Big Red Sleigh and yellow snow glistening near.

With the Beary old driver, so quick to the draw,
I knew in a moment it must be Santa Big Paw.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he Barked and Howled and called them by name;
“Now, DROOLY! now, NEPTUNE! now, LOUIE! now, HARRY!
On, CARLO! on, CAPTAIN! on, HOLLY! on, BEARY!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of goodies, and Santa Big Paws too.
And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof,
The prancing and pawing of each bearfoot.
As I drew up my ears, and was turning around,
Down the chimney Santa Big Paw came with a bound.
He had extra long fur from his head to his foot,
All sticky and tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of goodies he flung on his back,
And he look like a peddler just opening his pack.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He barked not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the dishes; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his paw aside his wet nose,
And with a wag of his tail, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his pack gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle,
But I heard him give a Howl…ere as he drove out of sight.
“Happy Christmas To All, And To All A Good-Night.”

GROETJES ELISABETH