Introduction

A Tree-mendous Holiday

Like every year for Christmas,
It was time to find the fir;
We drove up to the tree farm
Run by a kindly sir.

No snowflakes were a falling
As we cut our Christmas tree.
The ground was bare; just leaves and grass,
No snow up to the knee.

We pulled it through the wooded lot
And strapped it to the van.
And drove it down the bumpy drive;
To pay the nice "tree man".

The trip home with the kids was quick,
Excitement filled the air,
This meant that Santa soon would be
Paying visit to our lair.

And when the tree was off the roof
I searched hard for the stand.
I found it with a broken leg
Which needed mend by hand.

With luck we found materials
Perfect for this thing.
Some plying here, some bending there,
We built a brand new spring.

This gadget fit in perfectly,
It held the leg in tight.
Now trunk was placed inside the stand,
I strained with all my might.

The evergreen was propped up right
And leveled to a tee.
The ornaments were readied now,
For placing delicately.

The lights were strung; the trinkets hung,
The kids enjoyed themselves.
Like Mrs. Claus and Santa
And three cheerful little elves.

The kids in bed after late night snacks,
We retired to the den.
We recapped all the day's delights
But were rudely startled when...

A crash was heard in yonder room
That threw up such a clatter,
We ran into the living room
to investigate the matter.

And there we found with lights now off,
our masterpiece reclined,
In all of our activities,
It had not been fishing lined.

With cherished bulbs obliterated,
Our pride a little hurt
We pulled it back up into place
and straighten up the skirt.

We strung the line in proper place
Swept up the dirtied floor,
Tomorrow would see it back to shape
and something to adore.

Another year of memories,
But not the standard thrill;
'bout how a tree struggled to go up,
And how it took it's spill.

Copyright; David Alston