Christmas Blues

Rudolph had another glass of scotch
and
Nose redder than before,
staggered outside in the snow.
He looked for the other reindeer
But they were sleeping
in the stable.

They had a long night ahead.

Rudolph wondered whether they would follow him
again
into the dark night
filled with stars
and space debris.

He worried about his precious cargo
The fat man
with the bag of gifts
who was the last hope for millions
of innocents
waiting for happiness
to be delivered
in the night
by a man invented by their parents
able to leap tall buildings with a single bound.

Suddenly all became clear
and Rudolph staggered back into the bar
bleated another drink order
and drank himself into oblivion.