Below is an excerpt from Chapter 15 of my next novel. Yes, it’s Christmas on Mars! The story reflects characters and events in previous chapters.

 

 

 

Twas the nocturnal period before Christmas, when under the roof,

Not a creature was stirring, not even a Poof.

Hosiery was meticulously suspended by hooks on the wall,

In anticipation of visitation from St Nicholas would soon befall.

The offspring were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of bousou spread danced in their heads.

And Seepa with her dangly bracelets, Bleeker in his cap,

Had just settled their cerebrums for a long Martian nap.

When out in the laneway there arose such a cacophony of dissonance,

I tripped over the bed to see what was outside the residence.

I stumbled to the entrance though I intended to march,

Threw open the latches and stooped under the arch.

The glow from the lighting on new-fallen Red Planet dust,

Gave the lustre to objects that were being corroded by rust.

When, to my optical sensory organs should appear an apparition,

But a miniature transporter, and eight tiny Blue Martians.

With a little Red operator, so lively and thick,

I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.

As rapid as sling players his diminutive helpers they came,

And he relied on telepathy when addressing them by name!

“Now, Steeto! now, Prinko! now, Deela and Prakin!

On, Cooma! On, Breema! on, Gonomo and Ranen!

To the top of the abode! to the top of the wall!

Now scurry away! Scurry away! Scurry away all!”

As crystalline particles that before the wild dust storms fly,

When they meet with an impediment, ascending to the sky.

So up to the structure-top the miniature aides they flew,

Transporter glowing like a ngono, and St Nicholas too.

And then, I heard them above us, but how did he,

The waddling, stomping and shuffling of each little tootsie.

As I retracted my cranium, and pivoted around to see,

Through the rear passage, St Nicholas leaped towards me.

He was dressed in shimmering garments, including his feet,

And he accessorized with flashy stones so his outfit would be complete.

A bundle of gifts were carried by his Blue assistants,

And he looked like an important person, at least from a distance.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his nose non existent!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose quite insistent!

His coppery skin had so many wrinkles,

And the top of his cranium was hairless, not even sprinkles.

He clenched between his incisors what appeared to be a medical device,

From the look on his face, he must have bought it at a bargain price.

His visage was wider that it was high for a reason,

His abdominal region make think it was basketball season!

He was plump for a Martian, a jovial multigenerational gnome,

And I laughed when I saw him, he was nothing like what I knew back home!

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He transferred no thoughts, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the hosiery, then looked at me with quite a smirk.

And laying his finger in front of his face,

And giving a nod, disappeared without a trace!

He boarded his transporter, to his team gave a sign,

And away they all flew towards the next shrine.

But my mind picked up a thought, ‘ere he drove out of sight,

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”