Sir Winter
I heard Sir Winter coming,
He crept out of his bed
and rubbed his thin and freezing hands:
'I'll soon be up!' he said.
'I'll shudder at the keyhole
and rattle at the door,
I'll strip the trees of all their leaves
and strew them on the floor,'
'I'll harden every puddle
that autumn thinks is his,
I'll lay a sparkling quilt of snow
on everything that is!'
'I'll bring a load of darkness
as large as any coal,
and drive my husky dogs across
the world, from pole to pole.
'Oho! How you will shiver!'
And then I heard him say:
'But in the middle of it all
I'll give you ....Christmas Day!'
Jean Kenward