A Lifetime of Christmas Poetry
My mom, Raynette Forister Eitel, passed away in September of 2022, age 85, drifting away into dementia. It was tragic to watch this woman who loved words, who was a poet and teacher, fade away into wordlessness after a lifetime of crafting poetry.
Mom had a tradition of writing a new Christmas poem each year and sending it to friends and relatives. The mailing list grew each year, and people always told us they looked forward to mom’s Christmas poems. She published some in a couple little books. There are too many to post just once a day during the month of December, but I’ll choose some of the best.
The Day After Christmas, or Why Santa’s Nose is Red
by Raynette Eitel
On the day after Christmas with deliveries done,
St. Nicholas heads for a place full of sun.
He oils Rudolph’s nose and aims Dasher south
Then reclines with a peppermint cane in his mouth.
And before he discovers his coat is too hot,
Comes the clatter of hoofs on the deck of his yacht.
His cheeks how they dimple, how twinkly his eyes
When first he beholds those cloudless blue skies.
His snowy beard melts in the warm, humid air
So he strips off as much of his clothes as he’d dare.
Should you see the old elf undoing his buckle,
In spite of yourself, you would just have to chuckle.
He dismisses his deer with a nod of his head
And speaks not a word but goes straight to his bed.
He lies in the sun, rubs his hands on his belly,
(That sunscreen is nearly as sticky as jelly!)
No visions of sugarplums beneath his red cap
As he basks in the warmth of a tropical nap,
But you may hear him mutter ere he goes to his rest,
“A merry Christmas is great, but this part is the BEST!”
Writing Rhetorically 