'Twas the Night Before Christmas - A 2024 Poetry Challenge by Vivien Teasdale

 

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

          All the creatures were stirring, including the mouse.

          The moths in the stocking that hung by the fire

          Were the biggest e’re seen in the whole of the Shire

          But down from the bookshelf, there came such a clatter

          They dashed here and there; it had made them all scatter,

          For the books had collapsed and the booklice were bitter.

          The bats up the chimney, they set up a twitter

          The beetles came wriggling out of the wool

          Where they’d nestled and cuddled, but now they were vengeful

          They demanded to know who had caused this upheaval

          First they questioned the dust mites and then the vine weevil

          They blamed all the fleas and their host, poor dog Polly

          Who had supped Santa’s sherry and was feeling quite jolly

          The creatures then tearfully cried, please don’t blame us

          We’re none of us guilty, it’s dry rot, a fungus

          Then the spider came down and said with sobriety

          There’s a hoof on the roof, so end this hilarity

          Just go back to bed, never mind wrong or right

          Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

"Insect" by Riik@mctr is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.