"Twas the Bike before Christmas""
"Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the our house
not a creature was sleeping, not even my spouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with screws.
(If you can't find the nails, what else do you use?)
The children were restelss, awake in their beds,
While visions of spanking them danced in our heads.
I worked in my bathrobe. My husband , in jeans,
Had gone down to the den with directions and dreams.
To assemble a bike that came in small pieces with
deflated tires and fenders with creases.
Soon down in the den there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my task to see what was the matter.
Away to my husband I flew like a flash;
H e was shuffling through cardboard; his actions were rash.
The bike on the rug by this now flustered Dad
Soon gave me a hint as to why he was mad.
He needed a kickstand. It had to be near.
I shuffled some papers----he saw it appear!
We twisted the screws; we were liveli and quick,
And we soon knew assembly would be quite a trick.
Fast as eagles in flight the pieces were found,
And he whistled and shouted for parts all around:
"Now socket! Now pedal! Now tires! Now brakes!
On handles! On kickstand! On horn!......oh....but wait!"
In the top of the toolbox, fumbled around; I need
two more screws! he said with a frown.
And like all good parents determined to please
When they meet with an obstacle late Christmas Eve,
We shouted and yelled some complaints to each other,
There was never more frustrated father and mother!
Then in a panic, we heard on the stairs the prancing
and hopping of feet...about two pairs!
I opened the door and was turning around when the kids
burst from the hall with a leap and a bound.
They were dressed all in flannel, fromtheir necks to their knees,
And their nightgowns were soiled with sugar and cheese!
Excuses poured forth from each pair of lips; they stood in
defience with hands on their hips. Their eyes were wide
open, and each little child jumped when I yelled with a voice
hardly mild. They were frightened but cute, thought much
bigger then elves, and we laughed when we saw them, in
spite of ourselves. A wink of the eye and a pat on the head
soon let them both know they had nothing to dread.
They saw not a thing but went straight back to their beds,
and we finished the bike and put bows on the sleds.
then wheeling the bike by the tree (out of sight)
my hubby announced we should call it a night. He sprang to
his bed, to the clock gave a whistle, as time had flown by
like a large Titan missle. But i heard him exclaim as he turned
out the light, "MERRY CHRISTMAS, MY DEAR,BUT NEXT
YEAR NO BIKE!"
