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)

Poems by my first-born, Ben

Poems and a letter to Jesus by Ben Shaver (in honor of his 40th birthday today):

Happy birthday Jesus. It's a pretty strange birthday you had. Us getting the presents and you dying on the cross. Only you could have been so willing to do that. That is by far the greatest present I ever got.
                                                                                               From Ben Shaver (age 10)

(Published in "Birthday Greetings to Jesus," Horizon International Magazine, December 1980)


              DAWN
A rainbow lies over a forest of greenery,
Abundant in lush and beautiful scenery,
The bald eagle stretches his wings
And the nightingale wakes up and sings.
The fox hides and looks for prey,
Baby raccoons begin to play.
It is begun another day.
       Ben Shaver, age 10 (unpublished)


                  DESSERTS
Dutch apple pie and chocolate so sweet,
or fudge ripple cake for a weekend treat.
Upside down cake or a chocolate eclair,
I really love desserts, I must declare.

Cookies, doughnuts, ice cream and pie,
or a hot fudge sundae, my, oh my.
I could talk all day about things that are sweet,
but excuse me now. . . I gotta go eat.
                           Ben Shaver, age 12


(Published in The Rainbow Generation Magazine, July-August, 1985)



                       HANDS
Red hands and brown hands, black hands and white,
You can use them to cook, to drive or to write,
There are so many things that hands can do,
Here's some things to name a few.

Painting, bending, catching, feeling,
Wrapping, sculpting, clapping, peeling,
Building, sowing, and assembling parts,
Throwing, drawing and that's just for starts.

But also God has given us hands for
Sharing with, praying with and even more,
Hands for loving and caring with too.
There are hundreds of things that hands can do.
                             --Ben Shaver, age 12               

(Published in The Rainbow Generation Magazine, July-August, 1985)



            MY INVISIBLE FRIEND
I've got a little friend that no one else can see,

And when I need advice I sit him on my knee.
We've got a non-verbal code and this is how it goes,
He nods for the yeses and winks for the noes.

It's a funny thing, you know, he always seems to wink,
To things like if I'm fat or not, or if my sweatsocks stink.
Or if it's fair that I can't go to the circus on Friday night,
Cause my little invisible friend always seems to answer right.
                     Ben Shaver, age 12 (unpublished)


    WHO BUT A MOTHER
Who but a mother, with grace and charm,
Who gives but seldom receives,
Who but a mother, in time of need,
Sickness and pain she relieves,
Who but a mother, when tired out,
Always has time for you,
And who but a mother, at 5 o'clock,
Makes meals and cleans dishes too.
But without a mother, so gracious
And kind, what's a poor child to do?
    Ben Shaver, age 12 (unpublished)