O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Not long before Christmas
We went on a quest.
We wanted a fresh tree,
The one we’d like best.
So off in the pickup
We went to a place
To chop down our own tree -
The fun’s in the chase.
We found one so bushy
So full and so nice
It filled up the truck box
And cheap was the price.
My husband got busy
He trimmed it on top,
And also the bottom
He needed to chop.
It came in the front door.
It just was too big
To drag all through the house.
This was no little sprig.
It fit in the front room
With little space left.
Was the tilt to one side
All from the tree’s heft?
“There’s a crack in the stand,”
My husband exclaimed.
“We best buy a new one,”
He also proclaimed.
“Computer-designed,” it
Said on the label,
With some other claims, too,
Each one a fable.
It was quite a struggle;
We transferred the tree
To the super new stand.
We were now worry free.
After one night, we were
Ready to trim it.
With help from the grandkids
It soon could be lit.
The baby was napping
In his daddy’s arms.
The kittens slept soundly -
No cause for alarms.
Decorations were hung,
Lots near the bottom,
By the other three kids.
They all put on some.
We opened some presents
And did some cleaning.
Then looked at the tree - It
Seemed to be leaning.
“Oh, no, it was like that,”
My husband replied.
“The wonderful tree stand
Will ever abide.”
A few minutes later,
Hearing a tinkle,
We rushed to the room
And saw a new wrinkle.
The tree had now fallen;
It lay on its side -
Ornaments all scattered
So far and so wide.
With huffing and puffing
We righted the tree,
Redecorated it
Swell as can be.
‘Twas only a moment
The tree stood upright.
Again it fell over.
There was no delight.
We vacuumed up needles,
Also some water.
Those tree stand designers
We wanted to slaughter.
And after that Christmas
We went to the store
And we bought a fake tree
To use evermore.
---Kay Carlsen
---Kay Carlsen
