Thursday December 24, 2006 The day before Christmas

My brother works for UPS. This is for him.

Twas the day before Christmas when all through the town
Everyone was rushing and wearing a frown.
Christmas day was drawing near
And all the packages weren't even here.

The children were talking with friends and checking their lists
Of the toys they had listed and the toys they had missed.
Mom was in the kitchen, and I was in my chair
Planning for guests who would soon appear.

When out on the street there rose such a clatter
That I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Drawing back the curtains and sidestepping the trash.

The sunlight reflecting from the autos below
Dazzled my eyes with their bright, shiny glow.
But then I saw what made all the noise
It was a UPS truck crammed full of toys.

The driver was haggard and slim
I knew in a moment it had to be Jim.
His old brown truck was cluttered and slow
But he always got there, even in snow.

He had trouble finding a spot on the road
to park his truck so he could unload.
The packages were large, not small
And way too heavy to have to haul.

Finally, he found a place
From which he could race
To the doors of every house
Whose inhabitants he had to rouse.

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the doorways the driver he flew,
With his arms full of packages and boxes too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard at the door
The clatter of packages placed on the floor.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Jim rang the bell and listened for sound.

He was dressed all in brown, from his head to his feet,
And his clothes were all pressed nicely and neat.
Packages of toys from the truck he'd acquired,
And he looked like he was all worn out and tired.

His eyes-how downcast! his frown how wary!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn down like a bow,
And the teeth in his mouth were as white as the snow.

The stump of a pencil he held tight in his teeth,
And his hat encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a narrow face and big strong shoulders,
That handled the loads like a large pair of boulders!

He was slim and trim, a right jolly old elf,
And I admired his looks, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
Unloaded his packages, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his pencil back in his pocket,
He hurried back to his truck, like a rocket!

He sprang to his truck, put his key in the ignition,
And away he drove like a man on a mission.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove down the trail,
"If you send it back, send it back by MAIL!"