Thank you, and thank you

It was late in the season for a cross country move
But with his father’s new job no one could disapprove
As he climbed up on the back of the shiny new couch
His mom’s warning heard not to be a grouch
He didn’t have that much of a life to recall
He was still kind of young and not very tall
But he remembered the only home he’d ever known
On the beach where the yard was sand instead of grass grown
He’d flown here last night on a red eye and slept
His eyes closed and his head in his mothers lap kept
He awoke in a bedroom, wrapped in his favorite blanket
And his dresser and toys sat there on a new carpet
He leaped from his bed and he chased his mother’s voice
She was humming along as a chorus rejoiced
She was emptying boxes, getting their new home straight
And Christmas decorations flew from each unopened crate
He threw his arms around her in a big eyes closed hug
And she handed him some hot cocoa in a large mug
“Why good morning, “she said. “How is my sleepyhead?”
He saw yuletide decorations in greens and in red
He could see that a place had been set at the table
With a large empty bowl and juice from a bottle
He rushed through his breakfast as though he were late
And he dressed in his clothes like he was off for a date
But once ready his confusion was there on his face
As he remembered that he was now in a new place
So he thought to at least take his first look around
The little boys’ eyes grew wide; there was snow on the ground
There was no one about as he looked up the street
To the left nor the right, no ocean and no heat
He ran to the kitchen and peered through that window frame
But it was to no avail, the view looked the same
He walked past the pantry to the living room
A fire was burning but it didn’t melt his gloom
But he did see a sight that brightened his face so young
For above from the mantle all the stockings were hung
As his mother did watch him and she saw his face frown
And she walked up behind him and held him to her gown
“I know this is all new to you,” her voice whispered
Her hug felt as light as the song of a bird
“But we’re all here together, as the same family”
And he hugged her back just as tight as could be
He felt himself yawn as they both sat by the fire
She smiled and said”I think my little boy’s tired”
Smiling she picked him up and danced round the floor
And she danced up the stairs and she danced through his door
She laid him down on his bed with his head on the pillow
“All that travelling last night, you must be a tired fellow”
And with a kiss on his cheek and she pulled up his quilt
She knew he was scared and felt a tinge of guilt
But she knew that a nap would help him find his smile
So she returned to unpacking to let him sleep awhile
His eyes were half closed but opened wide with a fear
What if Santa did not know that they had moved here
He huddled in his covers with a tear in his eyes
And he drifted to sleep with just a start of a cry
He couldn’t remember if he had started to dream
For things suddenly felt strange, not as they had seemed
He opened his eyes and he was not in his bed
He was lying on a seat moving in a large sled
The windows were covered with ice and some snow
He sat up abruptly and felt his ride slow
What got me here? He wondered as the sled stopped to park
“Your eyes did,” a deep voice was heard to remark
And the little boy looked up, away from the dark
At the base of a grand set of inlaid slate stairs
Stood a man with a pipe and a head of gray hair
He didn’t seem jolly but his blue eyes did smile
Nor appear overweight or a beard his hairstyle
The tall man strode off of his porch to the sleigh
He knelt down as they could talk closer that way
He was the host and was made for the role
“My name is Nick,” he said, “welcome to the North Pole.”
He took the boys hand in his and they both walked
They climbed up the staircase and neither one talked
At the top of the mountain of stairs was a gate
The man pushed on some buttons upon the door plate
With a large hiss the boy heard a deadbolt release
And the large gates swung open until the motion did cease
As the little boy looked what a sight found his eyes!
There was a village before him and he stared in surprise
The man watched his face with just a hint of a smile
Next to wondering eyes, he lit his pipe meanwhile
“There’s a lot that’s been done here,” he laughed merrily
“Tasks from hardworking friends,” he said.” Not just by me.”
And the little eyes searched hard trying to see an elf.
The man smiled, “I wanted to meet you and show you myself.”
The boy looked in his eyes but his voice was delayed
But he found it and he whispered, “I’m afraid.”
The voice that replied was deep and gentle
“I know that,” the man said, ‘”I see your eyes are full”
He looked deeply into the face of this lamb
“If you believe in me, “he said. “You know who I am.”
The young boy turned to look at his face
And his blue eyes met blue eyes that he knew from someplace
All of the snow and lamps like candy canes
A light bulb came on in the little boys’ brain
And suddenly his eyes lit up with awe
With eyes and mouth wide he exclaimed “You’re Santa Clause!”
The old man saw his shoulders shake and he could tell
Although the boys unending smile hid it well
The North Pole’s winds, at times, both harsh and bold
The little boy’s thin t-shirt was far too cold
He pulled a small gold whistle from inside his coat
He put it to his lips and blew a silent note
Before the two could take a step more on the track
A pair of Elves appeared and placed a robe upon his back
He pulled it tightly about him and he smiled with glee
At the two tiny Elves who bowed and giggled merrily
Hand in hand they all walked as the boy beheld
The large house at the streets end where Santa dwelled
The street a giant circle laid with cobblestone
Centered by a fountain of ice which like crystal shone
On the outer edge were houses built of brick and mortar
They each had high rooftops although the doors were shorter
The street lamps were on poles that looked like candy canes
Speakers on the lamp poles played holiday refrains
Wide eyed the boy looked to the left and right
His wonderment showed in his eyes as pure delight
He wondered,” How come the snow is gone from here?
Outside the gate I saw that it was everywhere?”
The Elves wore knowing smiles upon their face
The old man said “There’s a lot of Christmas magic in this place!”
“Now look there, “and pointed, “See who expects us there!”
The boy saw a woman at the door with salt and pepper hair
The Christmas Village manor was just a short walk more
“That’s my wife Leila, Mrs. Clause that stands there in the door!”
Her green eyes were upon him with a welcome gaze
He stepped upon the front porch above the walkways
“Welcome,” she smiled to him, “Welcome on this special day, dear.”
She shook his hand and in a hug she drew him near
“Let us get inside,”she said, “And out of the cold!”
He was amazed to find that Mrs. Clause was not that old
“Why your cheeks are pink!” She laughed,”But I can understand.”
And she put a steaming mug of cocoa in to his hand
He sipped and found the taste to be the best he’d tried
If his tongue could be believed and it was a trusty guide
He looked around amazed by all that he could see
But what caught his eyes the most was the amazing tree
It was taller than he was, maybe two or three times
It was filled with colored candles and bells that chimed
And atop it was an angel that looked like a doll
Its arms held wide, it held a banner that said peace to all
There were many decorations hung about the walls
And oil paintings and ornaments, large colored balls
A fire burned brightly in the fireplace
He could feel it’s warmth about his body and upon his face
He turned to see his hosts both smiling hand in hand
“I can’t believe I’m here,” he breathed, “It was never planned!”
The old man took a seat and set his smoking pipe in a tray
“You called out to me, son,” he said. “I heard your tears today.”
“Now sometimes I might have just found a way to dry your eyes,”
He smiled, “But I thought I’d do it with a large surprise.”
The boy looked at him and he asked “Why would that be?”
“It’s simple, son, “he stated, “Because you believe in me.”
The boy looked deeply at him with a furrowed brow
“But, Santa,” he exclaimed,” I thought of this just now!”
“How can you be so skinny and how come you are shaved?!”
“You look so round and jolly in every Christmas card I’ve saved?”
The man reared back his head and slapped his knees just so
And his eyes were twinkling as he let out a mighty “Ho, Ho, Ho!”
“Well,” he said, with a smile and a glance over at his wife
“Let me show you,” he began, “a little bit about our life.”
He rose up to his feet and led the boy across the room
They continued down a hall where poinsettias were in bloom
The boy’s excitement grew as the two approached a wall
As the old man pressed a button and a door began to crawl
It slid silently into the wall to reveal a hidden space
“This is my elevator,” he said. “It’s the way to move about the place.”
As the door slid closed before them and the floor began to drop
The old man started speaking, “Now let me take it from the top.”
“I have been around quite a long time,” he began
“Giving joy and hope to others has always been my plan.”
He went on, “It started a lifetime ago long before many were born.”
“But even with these many changes the idea never has been worn”
He paused as the elevator slowed until it stopped
And they waited till the door was open and the cage had dropped
Another hallway now before them with a large doorway at the end
“You are about to see,” he smiled, “what few have seen my friend.”
“This is my workshop,” he said,” Full of gifts and ribbons and wrapping”
“You wish for what’s in your heart,” he smiled,” this is where we make it happen.”
With that he opened up the door and stepped off to one side
From his first look the little boy’s mouth and eyes were wide
They stood there at the edge of an enormous shop
The entry from the hallway, a circle slide that never seemed to stop
Every thing was run by Elves, kept busy by their tasks
Doing much more than making toys and sipping cocoa from their casks
A large group was doing the wrapping making wrap and ribbons fly
Another group was testing toys, no broken ones got by
Computers linked to department stores in every country you could find
And Elves were searching EBay for those gifts so hard to find
There were Elves with steaming mugs piled high on wide round trays
A large set of double doors proclaimed it held the Christmas sleigh
An oversized hallway held a sign big as a table
It had an arrow pointing and the painted words The Stables
There were lights of different colors flashing like a big arcade
There was a mechanical band up near the roof that Christmas music played
The little boy was overwhelmed, it was better than he’d thought
And he climbed into the slide and he went down it like a shot
Santa quickly followed, they tumbled together at the end
They joined the Elfish laughter which Santa didn’t need to pretend
They stood up from their clumsy landing as fast as they were able
Still laughing at their silly antics they walked to Santa’s table
The boy noticed the large suit of red in a clear dry cleaning bag
He sat down on the ottoman while the Elves started playing tag
“This place is filled with Christmas Magic, as wonderful as it seems”
He smiled down at the boy and said, “Would you like to meet the team?”
The boy though his head might fly off, so quickly did he nod
He couldn’t wait to see the reindeer that carried Santa Claus abroad
They walked around the teams of busy Elves who smiled and nodded as they passed
They came upon the hallway, and continued down it rather fast
The floor became a patio, of hardened flattened stone
Single stables one by one, holding the only reindeer that have ever flown
They walked out to the center of what looked to be a barn
He said, “I’m going to call them out here, but you should be forewarned”
“These reindeer are a loving lot, “Santa laughed, “They’ve never let me down yet.”
He went on,” But I am sure they’ll lick your face so be ready to get wet!”
He placed fingers to his lips and blew a whistle like a toy
There was a stirring as the deer ran out and rushed to meet the boy
He was laughing with delight as each one licked him on his face
They let his small hands pet them and touch each crown they wore
And he saw their antlers ringing from the bells that played a score
They had collars too, with nametags made from shiny golden flake
And he smiled to himself at the funny noises that they make
One by one they turned away as if to a master’s call
One by one they all returned inside their reindeer stall
Santa said “Well, we’ll let them eat, it’s dinner time for them.”
And the two walked back to the desk, Santa held his pipe by the stem
“Before too long comes my biggest day,” Santa Claus said now.
“On the night before it happens I will fatten up somehow
I fall asleep to rest myself before my long journey through the air
And when I wake to take the reigns I find my beard is there.
During months we are off season, my wife and I will roam the lands
And when folks see me as I am now, no one knows who I really am.”
When he had finished speaking, he drained the last drop from his mug
He sat upon the desk chair there atop the braided rug
“Well my boy,” he told him, “What a busy day you’ve had!”
The boy knew the visit was ending and it made his eyes look sad
Santa smiled and he said “Why do you look with such dismay?”
The boy met his eyes and said, “I have had such fun today.”
Santa said,” I’m glad you came but you know I must prepare.”
“But,” he said, “I wanted you to know that I knew where
To find you since your family is now in a brand new home.
The team will find your rooftop when on Christmas Eve we roam.”
The little boy rushed forward and gave Santa such a hug
Santa picked him up and the little boy gave such a shrug
Once again the blue eyes met and understanding passed between
Santa took the boys hand and said, “Now that you’ve seen,
I will see that you get safely home and I want no more tears.”
The little boy exclaimed “Santa, we must have been gone here for years!
My mother will be worried that I’m not asleep in my bed.
She might think I ran away or may be even dead!”
Santa knelt before him and his eyes then left no doubt
“Do you remember the Christmas magic, “he said, “That I told you about?”
As his nod Santa continued, “Time is special here at the North Pole.
There is always as much as you need, sometimes a minute seems not whole.
When you awaken from your nap you’ll find not a moment has moved on,
And it is doubtful that you mom will even know that you were gone!”
The boy didn’t understand it all but didn’t think he must
He knew that Santa told him only that which he could trust
Together they walked to a door, one not noticed there before
“This is a clever shortcut,” Santa said, “but there is more”
He said,” Whenever doubt fills you, or you are feeling blue,
I will know it when it happens and I will send some magic to you.”
The boy turned the doorknob, and pulled open the door
And, all of a sudden he saw the carpet on his rooms’ floor
His head was on his pillow, his quilt was drawn up to his chin
He was in a happy mood, but didn’t recall where he had been
He slid himself out of his bed and soon walked out through the door
He didn’t notice the piece of holly on his window that wasn’t there before
He found his mother sitting at the kitchen counter sipping tea
He sat upon the stool beside her as the little hand clicked to three
“Look at all the snow,” she said, “no more afternoon tide.”
He said, “Let’s go build a snowman, I’ll race you outside!”

The End



If you enjoyed this please share it!

© Michael M

I was drifting in my thoughts
Your voice like music in me
And thinking all about the moon outside

At first I thought a dance up there
If I could find the highest chair it might be
The greatest dance two people ever tried

But the moon is art up in the sky
And though no fine painter am I
I decided at my best I could do more

Then I thought about the mountains
And the valleys crossed my mind but neither place
Seemed to be right for our dance floor

I closed my eyes as if to sleep and
Knew the questions there would keep
My mind on for it is my best deckhand

Sure enough it didnʼt ponder long and
Told me softly that our toes
Should dance together in the sand

The more that I dwelled in this thought
I understood my mind had caught the very
Place where all the parts were there

The band quite good and playing soft
The colored lights strung there aloft
All scented by the gentle ocean air

The sound of endless breakers
And the curving of the dunes
Framed us there together in this place

I could imagine your arms gently wrapped
Around my neck while I held tightly to you
As we moved above the sand with grace

And when the right slow song had started
And our lips met and never parted
In our universe alone there on that beach

Tightly embraced were we upon
That dance floor by the sea hoping that
Time into the dawn would never reach

Even though the music changed and
Rhythms tried to rearrange
We stayed lips together just so

For we were in that special place
Where time was ours to taste
And every dance we danced was slow

-Mike M

Looking at you
In the ocean water
You look so at home
As far as I've traveled
I've never seen places as pretty
As you when I roam
From the glass bottomed boat
Off of Ocho Rios
To the sands of the Atlantic shore
I confess I like what I'm seeing
And if it's okay with you
I'd really like to see more
The light hits the water
Out in San Francisco
And it lingers awhile
Sunset is more than a moment
It's a time to hold hands
And share an evening smile
Looking at you
In the ocean water
You look so at home
As far as I've traveled
I've never seen places as pretty
As you when I roam

MM

Wide awake at four in the morning
I stepped into the living room to play some guitar
The six strings they weren’t talking so I tuned ‘em
No point in chasing up the roadie
He was crashed in the backseat in some groupie’s arms
Life on the road
Life here at home
Sometimes I can’t really tell the difference no more
What city is this?
It really doesn’t matter
As long as people are screaming that we’re playing for
A few years back there we were in high school
Man was life sure a simpler time
Wherever we played we got laid and
We even got paid though it was always nickel and dime
We drove around in a blue station wagon
All the guitars and drums
Barely fit in the back
Now we roll in a big Silver Eagle
And everything but the rims is painted Midnight Black
Life on the road
Life here at home
Sometimes I can’t really tell the difference no more
What city is this?
It really doesn’t matter
As long as people are screaming that we’re playing for
Looking out the windows all there is is rain
Covering the darkness as far as I can see
I started thinking about when we lost a brother
The day my very first drummers bike met a tree
This is when the bottle opens
I don’t even chose to waste the time with a glass
Time to say goodbye once more to a friend
Just keep tipping the bottle till it kicks my ass
Life on the road
Life here at home
Sometimes I can’t really tell the difference no more
What city is this?
It really doesn’t matter
As long as people are screaming that we’re playing for
©MDM

Thanks! Think the book will sell?

I awoke to the sound
Of the old church bell ringing
Carried true across the harbor
With every chime
I listened and stared
Sunlight dressing the sky
And the gulls rode the wind
And kept time
My gaze wandered into my memory
Passion until the stars in the sky
Blew away in the night when God put out the light and
Winked away for the day with a sigh
This morning finds me lonesome under canvas
Through the moments I let my thoughts sift
I’d found my dream with a mermaid it seemed
Then she left and set my heart adrift
I found my feet and my grasp found the rail
I yawned and made way for the bow
I dived in the sea for an easy good morning
Yet my head was still spinning somehow
Scattered on deck was a near empty bottle
Don Julio Silver, champagne of the sea
Stores of salt in a bowl and some lemons close by
What a fine time I’d had, I could see
I pulled shorts on when I reached the stateroom
No new tattoos greeted me in the mirror
A bikini top hung from the shower
Eyes wide open a new day was here
Soon coffee was brewing, Blue Mountain Jamaican
Even the smell an elixir of life
Not a bad way to live for a writer and poet
And a Martin guitar is my fife
I climbed up the ladders
Back to the bridge and I knew
As I leaned the chair with a fresh lit cigar
I wondered where my mermaid was off to
I awoke to the sound
Of the old church bell ringing
Carried true across the harbor
With every chime
I listened and stared
Sunlight dressing the sky
And the gulls rode the wind
And kept time
©MDM2008

How I long
For the open sea
The bright harbor markers
Fall in line behind me
The taste of the salt
That rides on the air
The nautical sounds
Everywhere
Water slapping off of the hull
The rudder creaking
As the wing starts to pull
Off to starboard or off to port
And I stand mobile
On my water fort
This boat leaves a trail
Like a kites tail abaft
As the wind gets me moving
On my oversized raft
I stand by the ships wheel
Centered high on the bridge
And I’ve got longnecks stowed
Close by in a fridge
I’ve got a guitar stowed
In the starboard aft
Across the cabin from the galley
Charts where my journey is graphed
It has been too long
Since this world of the sun
Filled my shaded eyes
And my belly with rum
My view sharp oer the horizon
And whatever the cost
Over a thousand swells
To return what was lost
The dolphins or seals that
Were my crew and my mates
Until I pass through
Those old harbor gates when
For my heart longs to see
The setting sun over
The Gulf of California
Again
The parade of the topless sailors
Solo or with husband or wife
Sails in every color
Welcome me home to the sailors’ life
Nights spent prancing around
A coastal fire
Or making fire embracing off in the dunes
And sleeping away the sunrise
Till the sun belongs to the afternoon
A pacific coaster born and bred
And I’ve trapped inland
On the east coast instead
I’m not too sure how it happened
But it’s been paradise lost
My soul cries out for a wave
To be tossed over every now and then
For my heart longs to see
The setting sun over
The Gulf of California
Again

©MDMoeller2008

Thanks. That is the first poem in a long time

Once upon a time
It was in a movie
I saw actors using
Wind shaped smoke as stairs
And although our lives are
Sometimes tragic one
Just can’t escape the magic
That thing that kept us returning
Once the plot upon the
Stage was done
Sometimes we are
The understudy
Sometimes the marquis light
Spells out our name
But take a look the
Work that we put forth
It proudly points us
Towards the north
Our winning hand dealt
Puts us where we begun
Is it new ideas from a fresh sunrise
New ways to see the pictures
From our meager art supplies
Is there one more painting left
As the old record skips
Is there at least one more slow dance
One more kiss upon these lips
Do we raise our hands up
To watch our children strain to see
Is it new ideas from a fresh sunrise
New eyes to make the picture there
Set aside the smelly paste
Computer graphics we now chase
As we put the brush away our hands
And then our lips visit and taste
Once upon a time
It was in a movie
I saw actors using
Wind shaped smoke as stairs

©MDMoeller2008

You are all as sweet as always -M

Thanks, you are sweet. More to follow, have been working on the novel - M

I think I’ve met you
In the night
My eyelids squeezed
Together Tight
And we have danced so
Cheek to cheek
The lighting low
Our voices meek
The symphony beckons
The drummers plead
Where shall we go
Our feet to lead
This grand ballroom
Where we play
Wind instruments
Will have their say
My right hand up
Yours perched atop
Each step
The music doesn’t stop
The band leader
Gently coughed
My left hand lies
On skin so soft
Our journey spins
Us ‘round the room
Our feet the map
So we assume
Backless silk fabric
Meets dark dyed wool
The sculpture dances
With the bull
Our movements flow
Our eyes champagne
Hips move as
Preordained
The music takes
Us naked on the floor
And ices us
With notes once more
Like the meringue
We move as light
A wicked sunset
The day out of height
And with the night
The tune ends somehow
And with the orchestra
We share a bow
I await your whisper
In my ear
That the sun does rise
And you’re still here
Yet as the flowers
Fall at our feet
My hands grasp wind
As you retreat
Rose petals scattered
About the floor
Your perfumes scent
I taste no more
And as I sink
Slow to my knees
And sigh away
Your nightly tease
I think I’ve met you
In the night
My eyelids squeezed
Together Tight
©MikeM

Sometimes it seems
The simplest things
Become so hard to hang on to
I’m just here thinking on paper
Planning for my next caper
But it doesn’t make it less true
We just saw Christmas
Another years worth
And I was better in the spirit this year
But it sure wasn’t perfect
And I bet that’s true for other folks near
I used to be married
It was my own time of Camelot
Back when my world was complete
Two kids and a wife
I thought that was my whole life
Why did the Captain order us to retreat?
Someone I talked to
Back in the beginning
Told me the answer was not
Anything too complicated
And it could be found
Inside the life that I’ve got
He said I’d built the perfect
Game of my life
It had the best of any yet made
And if I considered
I’d find out that
I could come to my own aid
The solution he said
I might discover within
I’d forgotten to give myself a way to win
But there was no need
To despair, for like children and fools
All I had to do was learn to change the rules
So if your tree was decorated
With every star and light
That you found to show
And you wanted so bad
To find the Christmas spirit
Like the way the tree glowed
We can keep searching together
To find the only piece
Of the puzzle that’s missing
And who knows
It just might be on the same star
We find ourselves wishing
©MM

Funny, I have one good Johnny joke I use in the construction trade

Hey, we all have blond moments.

Nice

So there were these three blonds following a set of tracks through the wilderness on sunny summer day. While agreeing that they were tracks, none of them could agree on exactly what had made them.
"I tell you," the first blond said, "these are just giant deer tracks!"
"Oh my God,' exclaimed the second blond,"these are d o g tracks, not deer tracks!"
"You both are so totally wrong," chimed in the third blond, "these are bear tracks!"
They were still arguing when the train hit them.

It was late in the season for a cross country move
But with his father’s new job no one could disapprove
As he climbed up on the back of the shiny new couch
His mom’s warning heard not to be a grouch
He didn’t have that much of a life to recall
He was still kind of young and not very tall
But he remembered the only home he’d ever known
On the beach where the yard was sand instead of grass grown
He’d flown here last night on a red eye and slept
His eyes closed and his head in his mothers lap kept
He awoke in a bedroom, wrapped in his favorite blanket
And his dresser and toys sat there on a new carpet
He leaped from his bed and he chased his mother’s voice
She was humming along as a chorus rejoiced
She was emptying boxes, getting their new home straight
And Christmas decorations flew from each unopened crate
He threw his arms around her in a big eyes closed hug
And she handed him some hot cocoa in a large mug
“Why good morning, “she said. “How is my sleepyhead?”
He saw yuletide decorations in greens and in red
He could see that a place had been set at the table
With a large empty bowl and juice from a bottle
He rushed through his breakfast as though he were late
And he dressed in his clothes like he was off for a date
But once ready his confusion was there on his face
As he remembered that he was now in a new place
So he thought to at least take his first look around
The little boys’ eyes grew wide; there was snow on the ground
There was no one about as he looked up the street
To the left nor the right, no ocean and no heat
He ran to the kitchen and peered through that window frame
But it was to no avail, the view looked the same
He walked past the pantry to the living room
A fire was burning but it didn’t melt his gloom
But he did see a sight that brightened his face so young
For above from the mantle all the stockings were hung
As his mother did watch him and she saw his face frown
And she walked up behind him and held him to her gown
“I know this is all new to you,” her voice whispered
Her hug felt as light as the song of a bird
“But we’re all here together, as the same family”
And he hugged her back just as tight as could be
He felt himself yawn as they both sat by the fire
She smiled and said”I think my little boy’s tired”
Smiling she picked him up and danced round the floor
And she danced up the stairs and she danced through his door
She laid him down on his bed with his head on the pillow
“All that travelling last night, you must be a tired fellow”
And with a kiss on his cheek and she pulled up his quilt
She knew he was scared and felt a tinge of guilt
But she knew that a nap would help him find his smile
So she returned to unpacking to let him sleep awhile
His eyes were half closed but opened wide with a fear
What if Santa did not know that they had moved here
He huddled in his covers with a tear in his eyes
And he drifted to sleep with just a start of a cry
He couldn’t remember if he had started to dream
For things suddenly felt strange, not as they had seemed
He opened his eyes and he was not in his bed
He was lying on a seat moving in a large sled
The windows were covered with ice and some snow
He sat up abruptly and felt his ride slow
What got me here? He wondered as the sled stopped to park
“Your eyes did,” a deep voice was heard to remark
And the little boy looked up, away from the dark
At the base of a grand set of inlaid slate stairs
Stood a man with a pipe and a head of gray hair
He didn’t seem jolly but his blue eyes did smile
Nor appear overweight or a beard his hairstyle
The tall man strode off of his porch to the sleigh
He knelt down as they could talk closer that way
He was the host and was made for the role
“My name is Nick,” he said, “welcome to the North Pole.”
He took the boys hand in his and they both walked
They climbed up the staircase and neither one talked
At the top of the mountain of stairs was a gate
The man pushed on some buttons upon the door plate
With a large hiss the boy heard a deadbolt release
And the large gates swung open until the motion did cease
As the little boy looked what a sight found his eyes!
There was a village before him and he stared in surprise
The man watched his face with just a hint of a smile
Next to wondering eyes, he lit his pipe meanwhile
“There’s a lot that’s been done here,” he laughed merrily
“Tasks from hardworking friends,” he said.” Not just by me.”
And the little eyes searched hard trying to see an elf.
The man smiled, “I wanted to meet you and show you myself.”
The boy looked in his eyes but his voice was delayed
But he found it and he whispered, “I’m afraid.”
The voice that replied was deep and gentle
“I know that,” the man said, ‘”I see your eyes are full”
He looked deeply into the face of this lamb
“If you believe in me, “he said. “You know who I am.”
The young boy turned to look at his face
And his blue eyes met blue eyes that he knew from someplace
All of the snow and lamps like candy canes
A light bulb came on in the little boys’ brain
And suddenly his eyes lit up with awe
With eyes and mouth wide he exclaimed “You’re Santa Clause!”
The old man saw his shoulders shake and he could tell
Although the boys unending smile hid it well
The North Pole’s winds, at times, both harsh and bold
The little boy’s thin t-shirt was far too cold
He pulled a small gold whistle from inside his coat
He put it to his lips and blew a silent note
Before the two could take a step more on the track
A pair of Elves appeared and placed a robe upon his back
He pulled it tightly about him and he smiled with glee
At the two tiny Elves who bowed and giggled merrily
Hand in hand they all walked as the boy beheld
The large house at the streets end where Santa dwelled
The street a giant circle laid with cobblestone
Centered by a fountain of ice which like crystal shone
On the outer edge were houses built of brick and mortar
They each had high rooftops although the doors were shorter
The street lamps were on poles that looked like candy canes
Speakers on the lamp poles played holiday refrains
Wide eyed the boy looked to the left and right
His wonderment showed in his eyes as pure delight
He wondered,” How come the snow is gone from here?
Outside the gate I saw that it was everywhere?”
The Elves wore knowing smiles upon their face
The old man said “There’s a lot of Christmas magic in this place!”
“Now look there, “and pointed, “See who expects us there!”
The boy saw a woman at the door with salt and pepper hair
The Christmas Village manor was just a short walk more
“That’s my wife Leila, Mrs. Clause that stands there in the door!”
Her green eyes were upon him with a welcome gaze
He stepped upon the front porch above the walkways
“Welcome,” she smiled to him, “Welcome on this special day, dear.”
She shook his hand and in a hug she drew him near
“Let us get inside,”she said, “And out of the cold!”
He was amazed to find that Mrs. Clause was not that old
“Why your cheeks are pink!” She laughed,”But I can understand.”
And she put a steaming mug of cocoa in to his hand
He sipped and found the taste to be the best he’d tried
If his tongue could be believed and it was a trusty guide
He looked around amazed by all that he could see
But what caught his eyes the most was the amazing tree
It was taller than he was, maybe two or three times
It was filled with colored candles and bells that chimed
And atop it was an angel that looked like a doll
Its arms held wide, it held a banner that said peace to all
There were many decorations hung about the walls
And oil paintings and ornaments, large colored balls
A fire burned brightly in the fireplace
He could feel it’s warmth about his body and upon his face
He turned to see his hosts both smiling hand in hand
“I can’t believe I’m here,” he breathed, “It was never planned!”
The old man took a seat and set his smoking pipe in a tray
“You called out to me, son,” he said. “I heard your tears today.”
“Now sometimes I might have just found a way to dry your eyes,”
He smiled, “But I thought I’d do it with a large surprise.”
The boy looked at him and he asked “Why would that be?”
“It’s simple, son, “he stated, “Because you believe in me.”
The boy looked deeply at him with a furrowed brow
“But, Santa,” he exclaimed,” I thought of this just now!”
“How can you be so skinny and how come you are shaved?!”
“You look so round and jolly in every Christmas card I’ve saved?”
The man reared back his head and slapped his knees just so
And his eyes were twinkling as he let out a mighty “Ho, Ho, Ho!”
“Well,” he said, with a smile and a glance over at his wife
“Let me show you,” he began, “a little bit about our life.”
He rose up to his feet and led the boy across the room
They continued down a hall where poinsettias were in bloom
The boy’s excitement grew as the two approached a wall
As the old man pressed a button and a door began to crawl
It slid silently into the wall to reveal a hidden space
“This is my elevator,” he said. “It’s the way to move about the place.”
As the door slid closed before them and the floor began to drop
The old man started speaking, “Now let me take it from the top.”
“I have been around quite a long time,” he began
“Giving joy and hope to others has always been my plan.”
He went on, “It started a lifetime ago long before many were born.”
“But even with these many changes the idea never has been worn”
He paused as the elevator slowed until it stopped
And they waited till the door was open and the cage had dropped
Another hallway now before them with a large doorway at the end
“You are about to see,” he smiled, “what few have seen my friend.”
“This is my workshop,” he said,” Full of gifts and ribbons and wrapping”
“You wish for what’s in your heart,” he smiled,” this is where we make it happen.”
With that he opened up the door and stepped off to one side
From his first look the little boy’s mouth and eyes were wide
They stood there at the edge of an enormous shop
The entry from the hallway, a circle slide that never seemed to stop
Every thing was run by Elves, kept busy by their tasks
Doing much more than making toys and sipping cocoa from their casks
A large group was doing the wrapping making wrap and ribbons fly
Another group was testing toys, no broken ones got by
Computers linked to department stores in every country you could find
And Elves were searching EBay for those gifts so hard to find
There were Elves with steaming mugs piled high on wide round trays
A large set of double doors proclaimed it held the Christmas sleigh
An oversized hallway held a sign big as a table
It had an arrow pointing and the painted words The Stables
There were lights of different colors flashing like a big arcade
There was a mechanical band up near the roof that Christmas music played
The little boy was overwhelmed, it was better than he’d thought
And he climbed into the slide and he went down it like a shot
Santa quickly followed, they tumbled together at the end
They joined the Elfish laughter which Santa didn’t need to pretend
They stood up from their clumsy landing as fast as they were able
Still laughing at their silly antics they walked to Santa’s table
The boy noticed the large suit of red in a clear dry cleaning bag
He sat down on the ottoman while the Elves started playing tag
“This place is filled with Christmas Magic, as wonderful as it seems”
He smiled down at the boy and said, “Would you like to meet the team?”
The boy though his head might fly off, so quickly did he nod
He couldn’t wait to see the reindeer that carried Santa Claus abroad
They walked around the teams of busy Elves who smiled and nodded as they passed
They came upon the hallway, and continued down it rather fast
The floor became a patio, of hardened flattened stone
Single stables one by one, holding the only reindeer that have ever flown
They walked out to the center of what looked to be a barn
He said, “I’m going to call them out here, but you should be forewarned”
“These reindeer are a loving lot, “Santa laughed, “They’ve never let me down yet.”
He went on,” But I am sure they’ll lick your face so be ready to get wet!”
He placed fingers to his lips and blew a whistle like a toy
There was a stirring as the deer ran out and rushed to meet the boy
He was laughing with delight as each one licked him on his face
They let his small hands pet them and touch each crown they wore
And he saw their antlers ringing from the bells that played a score
They had collars too, with nametags made from shiny golden flake
And he smiled to himself at the funny noises that they make
One by one they turned away as if to a master’s call
One by one they all returned inside their reindeer stall
Santa said “Well, we’ll let them eat, it’s dinner time for them.”
And the two walked back to the desk, Santa held his pipe by the stem
“Before too long comes my biggest day,” Santa Claus said now.
“On the night before it happens I will fatten up somehow
I fall asleep to rest myself before my long journey through the air
And when I wake to take the reigns I find my beard is there.
During months we are off season, my wife and I will roam the lands
And when folks see me as I am now, no one knows who I really am.”
When he had finished speaking, he drained the last drop from his mug
He sat upon the desk chair there atop the braided rug
“Well my boy,” he told him, “What a busy day you’ve had!”
The boy knew the visit was ending and it made his eyes look sad
Santa smiled and he said “Why do you look with such dismay?”
The boy met his eyes and said, “I have had such fun today.”
Santa said,” I’m glad you came but you know I must prepare.”
“But,” he said, “I wanted you to know that I knew where
To find you since your family is now in a brand new home.
The team will find your rooftop when on Christmas Eve we roam.”
The little boy rushed forward and gave Santa such a hug
Santa picked him up and the little boy gave such a shrug
Once again the blue eyes met and understanding passed between
Santa took the boys hand and said, “Now that you’ve seen,
I will see that you get safely home and I want no more tears.”
The little boy exclaimed “Santa, we must have been gone here for years!
My mother will be worried that I’m not asleep in my bed.
She might think I ran away or may be even dead!”
Santa knelt before him and his eyes then left no doubt
“Do you remember the Christmas magic, “he said, “That I told you about?”
As his nod Santa continued, “Time is special here at the North Pole.
There is always as much as you need, sometimes a minute seems not whole.
When you awaken from your nap you’ll find not a moment has moved on,
And it is doubtful that you mom will even know that you were gone!”
The boy didn’t understand it all but didn’t think he must
He knew that Santa told him only that which he could trust
Together they walked to a door, one not noticed there before
“This is a clever shortcut,” Santa said, “but there is more”
He said,” Whenever doubt fills you, or you are feeling blue,
I will know it when it happens and I will send some magic to you.”
The boy turned the doorknob, and pulled open the door
And, all of a sudden he saw the carpet on his rooms’ floor
His head was on his pillow, his quilt was drawn up to his chin
He was in a happy mood, but didn’t recall where he had been
He slid himself out of his bed and soon walked out through the door
He didn’t notice the piece of holly on his window that wasn’t there before
He found his mother sitting at the kitchen counter sipping tea
He sat upon the stool beside her as the little hand clicked to three
“Look at all the snow,” she said, “no more afternoon tide.”
He said, “Let’s go build a snowman, I’ll race you outside!”

The End

©MikeM

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