'Twas the night before New Year's
and all through my sleep
I turned and I tossed over choices so deep
which patterns to change, which ones I could keep

and wishing on candles for 2002
for those time-worn ideals, yet to come true
time to ring in if only's, address doing my best
to study and prep for the next year's fresh tests

hard hits had struck many, we all felt the blows
Christmas spirit eked through when we needed it most

now stretched out by my crackling fire, I relaxed
while on either side of me, my pets slept, collapsed

smug calico cat wearing Cheshire dream smiles
and hyper white Maltese dog, at peace for a while
the truce thanks to my scolding, again and again
for a measured-out moment when calm took its reign

a disturbance alarmed us; with sparks and with lights
spraying ultraviolet streaks, supernaturally bright
I checked all around, to see we were alright

I knew I felt crazy, my head in a whirl
the pets jumped off the sofa, as it started to swirl
it unfurled to become an ornate strip of material
woven from the fantasy of a classic fiction serial

The Old Magic Carpet Ride, favoured trip as a child
was summoning me, the mat warming up wild
my brothers and sisters had early immersed me
in this game from Aladdin, the lamp and the genie

dragging me, the youngest, upstairs and down
on an area rug fantasy, I'd sure been whisked around!
But now I was bound for a superior show
on a trip whose planned route I had no way to know

fond voices from my past summoning me afresh
coaxing me to climb up, directing me northwest
but this was the night of so much thinking to do
how could I fly away, and where would I fly to?

"Come, break from real time, to seek wisdom and light"
said a voice just like Grandpa's, who'd always been right.

"It starts with yourself, and the choices you make
let's see which paths you should or shouldn't take"

lying flat on my tummy, I stared like a child
as we lifted on breezes scented tropical wild

and the carpet, it carried me, as if powered by gas
while below, dog and cat bundled together, aghast

soaring over frosted trees and lights of the town
the higher I rose, the less my spirits stayed down

the cares of the earth and the hates I'd felt there
soon drowned out by the cheering of folks who still cared
my ideals - small flashing icons, marked the path of my flight
and I knew this would be an incomparable night!

Miniature angels with gold fingers held fast
to the edges of the carpet, as the wind gave a blast
this chorus of cherubs steered me safely on track
and I heard my late grandpa sing the old ways right back

"This trip was booked for you years ago," he confessed
"but needed most now, with this world in so ugly a mess"
with a shiver I leaned over to see what he meant
the tiny old globe called Earth, looked so bruised and so bent!

"The heavens commissioned me to come down
to bring up my grandchild, for relief from her frowns,"
his booming deep voice was still tenor and strong
same one that I'd learned all my fairy tales on

though he didn't appear and we couldn't touch hands
I knew he was close by and in full command

all at once a panorama, of blinding white light
stretched over our carpet and sparkled the night
aroma of cinnamon, incense, pine at my nose
and a spring of great energy tingled my toes

operatic arias filled my ears, lulled my soul
the old mortal fears slipping, I felt the love grow
pink-violet clouds floated round and broke free
while unicorns, hummingbirds, rainbows spread glee

magnificent books with velvet binding, large print
flew like open-spanned fowl, powered by wind
and a silvery dust dotted the wake of the birds
my eyes mesmerized by the aura of words

I looked to the bright light for the hope and the way
a warm wistful breeze swept us to a landing bay
the angels helped park the carpet on an ancient high loft
while I remembered early lessons my family had taught

as a young girl they'd taken me to visit the elderly
when I'd asked about dying, and why it takes everybody

my folks had replied in an answer so strange
that I'd re-checked with my grandpa for him to explain

he'd confirmed the same version; one I'd struggled to swallow
though I was sure it was a path I'd never follow:

"Here on earth we just win a small space for a bit
but what really matters, is what we do with it."

Then we picknicked on cotton clouds; angels rested their wings,
while Grandpa played fiddle, on poignant sweet strings
and from his pocket pulled a telescope, and made careful aim

pointed it to the Earth; then let me do the same
through the lens I focused where he'd wanted me to
on a world so unravelled, like laces torn from a shoe

"Do you see, my dear grandchild, what I've been speaking of?
Those small silly creatures, have messed up all their love?"

With a nod of my head and a tear in my eye
I answered I saw it, though I couldn't say why.
A gust of a breeze that was his sigh of sorrow
was followed by a comment, I'll hear all my tomorrows.

"Well, you see, they've forgotten to honour each day
how fragile and delicate each person is made.
Humans cannot stay linked, if they can't show respect
to keep all the fibres in tact to connect
just as all of the threads of this mat from the past
were cared for by angels, to ensure it would last

all the separate fibres must bind tight at every part
or it unwinds and splits, and then all falls apart
leaving gaps in the darts where there used to be hearts!
See how little it takes, for the ruin to start?"

I leaned over again, with my eye to the lens,
wishing hard for a lantern and genie right then
I wished all futile discord between cat and dog, family, friends
and the agents of aggression round that globe
could amend

seeking the stitches to repair that thread
re-weave it stronger, so no-one would be led
to the centre where the gap loomed, and young and old bled

'Twas too late for the Night before Christmas, 2001
'twould take much more work 'til that moment would come
but I'd always remember 'twas the advent of 2002
when my grandpa showed me what we all must do!

12/30/2001