Lament of St. Nicholas

Lament of St. Nicholas

'Twas the Week Before Christmas in contemporary America


‘Twas the week before Christmas and throughout heaven above
and the angels and saints were proclaiming God's love

Nicholas my son, faithful servant on earth
it's time for children to celebrate my birth

Go on and inspire the parents of these
to all of their hearts I now give you the keys

Yes Lord! he said with the greatest of joys
I love helping them out with their clothes and their toys
But most of all Lord what I work for these days
is to lead all their minds back to you and your ways

So he started his mission, this jolly ol’ soul,
to the homes of God's children, the young and the old
The trees were in place and the candy canes hung
but he stared at the fireplace as carols were sung

Something's wrong! said the saint, as it stopped his delight
less than half of the stockings are hanging this night!
I see cars, DVRs, home computers, and more
but I hear not the laughter that I heard once before!

So he checked his list twice but it just didn't jive
there were many more children that were meant to be alive
Dear Lord, cried St. Nicholas with a voice of surprise
many children are missing! as the tears filled his eyes

Oh Nicholas my servant, I thought that you knew
in many heart$ green has replaced pink and blue
And Nicholas, said Jesus with a sad solemn voice
in the last 40 years this is what they've called "choice"

Then He took the saint's list and divided it thrice
and revealed the true meaning of naughty and nice:

The first section has children I could never create
my people used barriers and drugs with their mate

The second are the children that had never been born
from the womb of their mothers they were taken and torn

And the third section has now all the children on earth
they're the ones that did make it through conception and birth

Oh Jesus I'm sorry!, ol' St. Nicholas cried
this shouldn't be happening; to prevent this you died!

Help me to show them Christmas means to be brave
like the poor Virgin Mary giving birth in a cave

I'm the hope that not all of them know, Jesus said
so go forth dear St. Nicholas - my light you must spread

'Twas the week before Christmas and St. Nicholas did pray:

Merry Christmas to all ... and to all a new day!
- Paul J. Murano