With a nod to Clement Moore, Dorothy LeFebvre of Vernon offers this holiday poem.
A visit to Vernon Twas the night before Christmas and all through the town Not a smile could be seen it was frown after frown. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care But they all wondered why good St. Nick wasn’t there. “The banners are ugly the lights a disgrace.” And a look of disgust was on each person’s face. Instead of good will and a cheery hello, It was fighting and yelling St. Nick heard below. “I want what I want and I want it right now Now dash away, dash away get it somehow.” Townspeople were crying “This town isn’t fair. The Council is spending while our cupboards are bare. My house in foreclosure, my boss laid me off, My sinks are all leaking, my child has a cough. Our lives would be better if they listened to ME. We’ll take over the town we know how it SHOULD be. Call lawyers, call judges, call media, too. If we can’t get what we want then we’ll just have to sue.” St. Nick sadly listened and wiping a tear Said “There’s no Christmas in Vernon no Christmas this year.” But St. Nick listened more closely, and he heard a faint sound A dreidel was spinning around and around. The children were laughing, the parents were proud. You just couldn’t notice from the noise of the crowd. He heard something else from another house then, He heard “Please” and “Thank you” and laughter again. St. Nick said “There’s Holiday Spirit it was hiding it seems. You can drown out men’s voices but you can’t take their dreams.” So he sprang to his sleigh and found good girls and boys. The presents were small, but there was love in those toys. There WAS Christmas in Vernon, and Hanukkah, too. There was love, there was kindness, there was “Please, after YOU.” There were prayers and good deeds being quietly done There were those who knew money wasn’t needed for fun. There was music and carols just sung softly that year But it still proved that hope can still overcome fear. There wasn’t a clatter when St. Nick came that year, But SOME people noticed and it gave them great cheer. And we heard St. Nick say as he drove out of sight “The good people of Vernon will some day make things right!” Happy Holidays to all, Dorothy LeFebvre Vernon