Dear Editor:
‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through Summerland
In the community, not a contractor was stirring, nor moving sand.
We noticed that stockings were hung by the chimney with care
Of course they’d been there all week, and needed the air.
Most children were comfortably tucked in their beds
While visions of Christmas toys danced in their heads.
My wife and I had just settled down to a rum and eggnog
When from the lake there arose such a clatter in the mist and the fog.
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Away to the window, I stumbled with a crash
I realized we had no shutter, nor a sash.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But Ogopogo and eight white-tail Okanagan deer.
More rapid than speedboats his coursers they came,
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name.
They paid no attention and stayed true to their course
And crashed into our house with such a great force.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew
With a sleigh full of goodies and Ogopogo too.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
Down the chimney Ogopogo slithered with a bound.
He was dressed in green from his head to his tail,
We had to throw water on him from a pail.
His gills were like fins, his nose like a snake.
He was still wet and shimmering, fresh from the lake.
He had a long face and a very long belly
That shook when he laughed, he was a bit smelly.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his tail
Soon gave us to know he was no fairy tale.
He spoke not a word, we thought he was neat.
He brings us happiness all year and that’s hard to beat.
He filled all the stockings and turned with a grin.
Up the chimney he rose, head, tail and fin.
He slithered to his sleigh with a whistle they flew.
We wished him happiness and a bountiful trip too.
We heard him exclaim over Summerland and out of sight,
“Happy, healthy Christmas everyone, and to all a good night.”
Gord Thorne
Summerland
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