Suzi Long

The Chickens of Christmas

Just THINK if those were chickens

On that foggy Christmas Eve,

Who pulled, instead of reindeer,

That old sleigh of make believe!

 

We never would have strained

For clatter on the roof to hear,

But would have heard much clucking

And a scratching hen, I fear.

 

There wouldn\'t be a Rudolph

With his nose of flaming red,

But a rooster crowing loudly,

With a comb atop his head.

 

They would have pecked the shingles

from most every roof in town,

and laid eggs in the gutters,

some of white and some of brown.

 

They would have scratched the wrappings

From the packages so bright,

And pecked the toes from G.I.Joes

And not been too polite.

 

The toys would all be broken

With their pieces tossed asunder

And chicken poop a token

Found over, on, and under.

 

They would have shed their feathers all around throughout the night,

and kids would think of snowman when they woke up at first light.

But those were feathers on the ground instead of snow so white,

and Christmas morn the two words heard were “achoo” and “gesundheit!”

 

Just think if those were chickens

who had pulled old Santa’s sleigh

instead of all those reindeer

on that eve of Christmas Day.

          
“On Comet, on Cupid

on Donner, I’m stricken

to think what would happen

if deer had been chicken!”