Christmas Eve in the Arctic

by George Albert Leddy

MANY A MAN HAS WISHED IN VAIN

THAT THE DAYS GONE BYE
MIGHT COME AGAIN.

I’ll never forget that Christmas Eve, I spent in my shack alone;

In that lonesome land, in the Great Beyond, that Santa has never known:

How the winds swept down from the frozen heights, like the banshees’ mournful cry;

And the pine on the hearth, burned warm and bright—and all alone was I.

Then I closed my eyes, and there came to me, in voices soft and low;

The Christmas Carols we used to sing, in days of long ago.

It carried me back to my home again, a boy with no earthly care;

And the stockings were hung by the fireplace, and Mother and Dad were there.

And my brothers were: Jim, Dan and Bob; and my sisters were: Beth and Sue.

They’d told us that Santa would come tonight, and of course we knew, ‘twas true.

There were apples and nuts, and candy too; we’d gathered it all ourselves;

And the popcorn we’d strung on little strings, was hanging from the shelves.

There was love and joy, and the evening passed, and our little prayers were said;

And Mother had kissed us a sweet “Good Night,” and we were tucked in our little bed;

To dream of Old Santa coming soon, with his pack overloaded with toys;

With his “Ha! Ha! Ha!” and his “Ho! Ho! Ho!” as he greeted the girls and boys.

Then I woke to the cry of a pack of wolves, as they fought to make their kill;

And I saw in the East, a pale cold moon, rising beyond the hill;

But I’d lived again a Christmas Eve, like in the days of the long gone-bye;

While the pine on the hearth was burning bright—and all alone was I.

*****