GOOD SAINT NICHOLAS

Poem for Today - Saturday, December, 2014

THE STORY OF SAINT NICHOLAS

Once

there was a little boy

who lived by the shore of the sea.

He watched the ships go sailing by

all wrapped in mystery.

"What do you carry,

where do you go?"

he said as he saw them there.

I hope you bring many good things

to girls and boys everywhere."

Nicholas

was the little boy's name,

in case you'd like to know.

He loved surprising others with gifts

and seeing their faces glow.

Then he would hide

and no one would know

the one who loved them,

who loved them so. 

Once a father

had grown so poor

as to sell his daughters three.

Three nights

to his window Nicholas came

with gold to keep them free.

Nicholas

went to church one day

and all the people stood:

"You have a heart like God's,"

they said,

"A heart that is so good.

Will you be our bishop

And lead us as God would?"

When Nicholas died

God welcomed him

to heaven's great applause:

"Well done, well done,

good Nicholas,

for serving well my cause."

Now every Christmas

Nicholas comes with gifts

for girls and boys.

You know his name as Nicholas,

But it's also Santa Claus. 

O Good St. Nicholas, children's friend,

friend of girls and boys,

through the clouds come again,

and fill your bag with toys.

Give me too a giving heart,

for loving others too,

I want to know how good it is

to give good gifts like you.

© Victor Hoagland, C.P.