Santa's Friends

Santa Claus said to his deer, “There’s something I must ask,
It’s just a little favour, A very tiny task,
I have to write a poem for a night school exercise,
While it is my test, I must request, the help of all you guys.”

Rudolph said, “I wondered where you went on Thursday nights.
What course are you doing? What goal d'you have in sight?”
“Well, it’s Creative Writing, to help express my thoughts,
In stories and in poems. That’s what we’re being taught.”

“Of course, we’ll help” Blitzen replied, “Like us, time flies so fast,
It’s Wednesday already. The deadline’s nearly passed!”
“Let’s begin” Dasher chipped in, “Time is really tight!”
But some had reservations. “Are you sure that this is right?”

“Dancer, you’re a worrier”, was Prancer’s brief reply,
“What d’you reckon Cupid? Should we give this a try?”
Cupid stood there shivering, just in from the snow,
He’d been out with Vixen, for holly and mistletoe.

“My poor hooves are frozen. Let me near the fire.
Now what’s all this I hear about us making Nick a liar.
As I see it, it’s his homework, so what will it achieve?
What’s that going to teach him? Just - ‘How To Deceive’.

And you a children’s hero. You ought to be ashamed,
They trust you and believe in you. You’re a well-respected name.”
Donder looked at Comet. They hadn’t felt the need,
To voice their thoughts, but big, sad eyes, showed that they agreed.

Santa glowed a full bright pink. He dwelt on Cupid’s words,
On his deers’ reproachful looks, on everything he’d heard.
“My friends, what was I thinking? Of course, you are quite right,
I’ll do this now, all by myself, though it may take all night.”

“That’s the spirit!” Cupid cried. “I’ll get the coffee on.
Santa, find your pad and pen. This task will soon be done!
You know that we'll stay up with you, till the job’s complete,
Till you place the last full stop, no one goes to sleep.”

Santa wrote his poem, and he was very proud,
His reindeer all applauded him when he read it out aloud.
As they ate mince pies and drank their milk, he was feeling very pleased,
He called his latest poem, “What It Is To Have Friends Like These”.