Twas the Nightmare of Christmas
In the year 2020
When the Grinch of all grinches
Deceived humanity
He didn't need to sneak in
The dead of the night
Robbing Christmas got easier
When Covid took flight
Instead of heisting the turkey
And making off with each toy
He just spread a little fear
And he made off with their joy
People lined up at the post office
Their gifts to mail
And stayed home alone
In their domestic jail
They accepted their doom
And didn't complain
All they said in response
"We are just being safe."
"Where are you, Christmas?"
No one's asking that now
They think it will be back
In '21 somehow
The Grinch said with pleasure
"What a rewarding day"
I didn't have to steal Christmas
They just gave it away"
© Ruby Neumann
Poet's Note: Written December 15, 2020... ten days before the worst Christmas for a lot of people.
January 6, 2021... I want to add something to my Poet's note. This is poetry, my expression of my frustration. I understand how polarizing our planet is right now, and I'm not trying to pick a fight. All year my sadness at the rampant fear has been no secret. I am pretty clueless to the reality of this whole thing right now... all I have is what others are telling me to believe... and for someone who struggles with believing in God, not believing in the thousands of interpretations of the Covid crisis is not a big stretch for me.
I want to believe in Love. Love is the only thing that has made a transformative difference in my life. So when I look at the year we've had and seen Love take a back seat to Fear... then I will write authentic poetry.
Christmas is gone, over, maybe we can hope that, like in the book, the "Grinch" will have a change of heart and will be "carving up the roast beast" in 2021. I think I have enough hope for that.
