POEM: The Real Night Before Christmas

Now listen close and you will hear
the way it really goes,
from a kid with lots of practice,
a person who really knows.
People think of Christmas Eve
of children tucked in bed,
dreaming of toys and presents
that are dancing in their heads.

Now let me reassure you,
you'll be the first to know
if something isn't quite right,
or if it isn't so.
However could a child sleep
upon that Christmas Eve,
the child thinking of all the gifts
that he will soon receive.

Well, from personal experience,
I can tell you right away,
we kids sit up in bed all night
waiting for Christmas Day.
You sit up and check what time it is,
to see if you'll have to wait
until 7:00 in the morning to
find it's 8:38!!!!!!!!!!

It's only been 38 minutes
since I was put to bed.
Possibly my clock is slow,
it should be an hour instead.
I'll add and subtract
and then I'll calculate
that it will be exactly 10 hours
and 22 minutes to wait!!!!!!!!

Toss and turn,
turn and toss,
Delicious roast turkey
with cranberry sauce!!!
Fro and to, to and fro,
Christmas trees
and lights aglow.

Finally, next morning,
you awake with a start,
"It's Christmas morning," you shout
with joy in your heart.
But even though kids
go through such a terrible night,
they rush to the Christmas tree,
faces glowing bright!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                       Ben Shaver, age 13
              

(Published in The Cabbage Leaf, December, 1988)