Submitted anonymously by a reader who received this from an unknown poet purported to be from Holden.
’Twas two weeks before Christmas and all through the town
it rained and it froze and the trees all fell down.
The wires that were strung on utility poles
snapped like a twig and the houses all froze.
We got ourselves nestled all snug in our bed
while visions of warmer days danced in our head,
and me in my thermals and Pa in his cap
stayed huddled together for a bone chilling nap.
The moon on the ice made a crystalline glow
and we thought to ourselves, just how long can this go?
When what to our wondering eyes did appear
but our son with some coffee and donuts and cheer.
We could see our white breath in the darkness above
and deep under the covers I searched for my love.
His feet, they were frozen and so was his head—
made me think to myself that he just might be dead.
The days passed so slowly, we must be insane
as we waited and wondered and called out by name
“On Thursday, on Friday, on Saturday (sh*t!)
on Sunday, on Monday, on Tuesday (please quit!)
on Wednesday, and Thursday and Friday (oh dread!)
the kerosene fumes must have gone to our head.
To add to the pleasure of winter’s delight
two snowstorms came by—18 inches of white.
The snowing and blowing made things bad to worse
and we prayed to the heavens our pipes wouldn’t burst.
Pa’s eyes now were sunken, his expression—not merry,
his cheeks had a pallor, his nose like a cherry.
The odd little smile on his face wasn’t fun
and he often was mumbling “go get my gun.”
Then a rap on the door, and the fireman said,
“Are you sick, are you sane, and is anyone dead?
There’s a shelter, there’s warmth, you can come if you’re able,
we have showers and kindness and food on the table”—
and we looked at each other and thought—“what the heck?”
yeah ... 11 days later you finally check!
On night number 12 we heard the faint roar
of a convoy of trucks and we ran to the door.
To the top of the poles, to the stretch of the cable—
please bring us your power just as fast as you’re able!
They spoke not a word, but went straight to their work
and the power came on with a hum and a jerk.
They heard us exclaim, as they drove out of sight—
“Merry Christmas to all!
We have heat! We have light!”