A Poem For Moms At The Holidays

‘Twas the day before Christmas
And her husband was hacking.
Her grown kids were all tucked in upstairs, napping,
Dreaming of gadgets and clothing galore,
But here it was, all stacked in piles on the floor.
She’s given up singing.
She’s given up dancing.
She takes a deep breath.
She needs to be wrapping.

She’s about to give up
When she hears a sound
It’s muffled and gentle
‘Cause there’s snow on the ground.
It can barely be heard
O’er husband’s bad cough
But there it is, still.
No matter how soft.

She starts to wrap candy
She starts wrap books
Who’s she forgotten?
That lady in church?
What if a neighbor is here for exchange?
The way she looks now she might think she’s deranged.

She tidies the house
And fixes her hair
Puts on some blush
Runs down the stair…

But what to her wondering eyes does appear!
But Santa himself
In some red hot new gear.
His eyes how they twinkle
His dimples how merry
And the rose in his lips is plum now, not cherry.
He’s lost some weight since his last visit;
He’s got so many gifts she can’t even list ’em.

And oh!
His pecs, how they bulge, how they glow
And he’s handing her something tied up with a bow.

What’s this amazing new gift just for her?
She touches it, jiggles it just to make sure.
But Santa is nodding.
His Super man smile
Lets her know that he’s come just for her through the miles.
She pops the bow
Can hardly contain it
Santa knows what she wants
It’s never too late.

Out of the box
It’s magic, no hoax,
Pops a luxury mattress
How’d he know?
He just knows.
A card with “Don’t stress”
Flannel sheets
A t-nightshirt
Some Pink Fuzzy socks
A book and movie
All ready to watch
Complete
With a password and personal locks.

I’ll do your chores, he whispers.
Don’t worry, my dear.
I know you deserve it.
Just be of good cheer.

Santa shows his pecs one last time ‘fore he goes
And whips around wildly
Wrapping, Boxing, with bows
Then brings a vacuum out of his sack
And cleans it all up, 1,2,3 in a blink
And says to her, “Please, it’s not what you think.”
Hauls the mattress upstairs and tucks her to bed
His lips are still that cool new color of red
Gives a peck on her cheek, and then on her noggin
And lays Stevia chocolates beside her for morning.
Then he calls to his reindeer and disappears without warning.

And she hears him exclaim as he flies out of sight:

Merry Christmas to Moms! This is your night!
Relax and renew. You all have the right.
You’ve cooked, slaved, and wrapped for more than two centuries
It’s time that you gave yourself something
Please hear me!

And as she snuggled she heard his last “ho ho ho.”
And knew the next day would be perfect, with snow.

‘Cause her kids would be cranky
Her husband still hacking.
But all that is fine with her, yes just dandy.
‘Cause she’ll be asleep, all alone with her candy.

-Kathryn Brown Ramsperger