A CHRISTMAS CAROL - STAVE THREE

STAVE THREE - THE SECOND OF THE THREE SPIRITS

Again Scrooge awoke in the midst of the night
He found his bed lit by a blaze of bright light,
He saw that it came from the sitting room door
Softly he shuffled his way 'cross the floor;
As his hand touched the door knob he heard a great voice
It asked him to enter yet gave him no choice.

The room had transformed from the one he did know
To a room hung with holly and white mistletoe,
Adrape all with berries that threw back the light
Of a great roaring fire, a marvellous sight.
All kinds of foodstuffs were heaped on the floor
Turkeys, and joints, and oh so much more,
Plum puddings and twelfth-cakes and luscious mince pies
A wondrous profusion, a feast for the eyes.

Atop of this banquet as if on a chair
Sat a man in a robe with a wreath in his hair,
A jovial giant, a glorious host
This was the Present and he was its Ghost.
"Come," said the spirit, "Come stand in the light!"
Scrooge timidly did so, in spite of his fright;
"Now touch my robe, be not affeared."
The second Scrooge did so, the room disappeared.

They stood in the open, it was Christmas morn
The air had a crispness and on it was borne
Aromas unique to this one time of year
And sounds which spoke loudly of festive good cheer.
People they saw as they walked down the street
Unreservedly greeting all those they did meet,
Wherever the spirit and Scrooge wound their way
All were caught up in the joy of this day.

In a drab part of town they did stop by the door
To the home of a fellow I've mentioned before,
For in this poor suburb, quite dingy and dark
Stood the house of Bob Cratchit, his very own clerk.
They entered the dwelling, unnoticed, unseen
The ghost bade Scrooge witness this family scene,
A mother, three daughters, and two of her boys
Filling the house with the merriest noise.
Unto this gathering another lad came
A crutch in his hand and his legs in a frame;
Frail in body and withered in limb
Alas for this child, this dear Tiny Tim.

At last came Bob Cratchit, the head of this clan
N'er could there be a more happier man,
Despite their privations and Tiny Tim's health
The love they all shared went beyond any wealth.
Then ate they their meal, a modest affair
By no means a banquet, but they did not care,
"God bless us" they cried when their 'feasting' was done
"God Bless us" said Tim, "Bless us every one!"

Scrooge turned to the spirit and asked him outright
How it would go with poor Tiny Tim's plight,
"I see a crutch with no owner, I see one empty chair
My dear Ebenezer, why then should you care?
His death can but ease the 'surplus population' "
Scrooge was stung deep by this quiet castigation.

The scenery shifted and Scrooge found himself
In the home of a person of relative wealth,
The ghost stood beside him and quietly said
"You will share this Christmas with your nephew Fred".
Fred's friends were all gathered, a jocular crowd
And Fred stood before them, laughing aloud,
A jovial fellow, a generous host
To 'dear' Uncle Scrooge he did offer this toast:
"To Scrooge, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!"
Not once did he think that his uncle could hear.

Then fell they to music, and dancing, and games
In one Scrooge himself was the butt of ill names,
Yet Scrooge was not bothered, he smiled at the jest
He danced and he played and he laughed with the rest,
And as he made merry he now understood
Christmas is special and Christmas is good.

The party was ending, the guests made to leave
The spirit bade Scrooge to again touch his sleeve;
Once more man and ghost were stood out in the street
But two wasted children sat at the ghost's feet.
"These are Man's children and Man be ashamed
This boy stands for Ignorance, and thus is he named,
This girl stands for Want, thus Want she is called"
Scrooge stood silent before them, his soul was appalled.
"Beware of the boy, for in him is Man's fate
This must you change afore all is too late".
Scrooge looked to the spirit but he was dismayed
To find it had left him, alone and afraid;
A clock tolled out twelve, he turned slowly around
There in the darkness the last ghost he found.

COPYRIGHT D M PAMMENT 2009