Christmas Down Under

[Maureen K Clifford]

Christmas Down Under … Maureen Clifford © The #ScribblyBark Poet


The big day approached and the stockings were hung,
around the world children were waiting. And sung
in the churches and malls and the schools and the cities
were the loved Christmas carols with melodies pretty.
There were trees decorated with bright lights and trimmings
the new year held hope for much better beginnings
and even the poorest child in celebration
arranged what they had in a Christmas creation.

The big sleigh was loaded, the reindeers were harnessed
the leather was polished the brass had been burnished
and Santa this year had a brand new red hat
‘cause it seems that the old one now bedded the cat.
The toys were all wrapped and ribbon decorated
and Blitzen was chastised and soundly berated
for having a dig at old Rudolph’s round rump
which he claimed was quite overweight and looking plump.

They trotted, they cantered, they galloped then flew
and pulled from the snow the sleigh and Santa too.
Then headed their noses to the land down under
where the women glow and the men claim they plunder.
They stopped for some smoko out near Uluru
and chatted with locals, koalas and roo.
Then emptied the billy and put out the fire
and headed on southwards – the reindeers were tired.

And as Santa’s tired reindeer appeared in the sky
a mob of big roos called – “we’re here standing by
so fear not dear Santa, we’ll all give a hand
to help pull your sleigh over our Southern land.
We’ll make sure that every child in Australia
gets a Santa visit. You’re right mate – we’ll save ya.
We’ve roo, blue and brumby teams from coast to coast
organized and ready – we don’t like to boast
but here in this hot land that is girt by sea
your reindeers won’t hack it, the humidity
will knock them for six and by dawn they’ll be stuffed
but we’re Aussie’s, we’ll do it – fair dinkum, we’re tough.

Blue Heelers are used to chasing sheep and cattle
so pulling your sleigh to them won’t be a battle,
they’ve told us that they’ll help on the coastal runs
and around Kosciusko there’s a team of brums
that will gallop and carry you safe through their country
for nobody knows it better than a Brumby.
And out in the deserts where others would stop
us roos I assure you won’t run out of hop.”

“ Well thank you my Aussie mates” Santa did say
“It seems that we’re organized – let us away.”
And as the sky darkened all over Australia
the roos doffed the reindeers abandoned regalia
and hopped and then hopped and then bounded and leaped
till the sleigh left the ground – Eagles squawked, budgies cheeped.
And a dingo’s mellifluous song rang on high
as the sleigh pulled by red roos took off through the sky.