'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the land,
Not a church choir was singing, for all had been banned;
The masks were hung from the people’s faces with care,
In the hope “normal life” would soon resume somewhere.
The children were stuck, in their yards or their beds,
While the authorities and their parents were at loggerheads;
And Bonnie in her fluevogs, and we on our CERB,
Continued to fight about just who belonged out on the curb.
Within the huge malls there arose such a clatter,
As busy shoppers crowded like viruses don’t matter,
But for small businesses authorities flew like a flash,
And brought down the hammer of shame with a crash!
More paupers were seen on the new-fallen snow,
Shuffling towards Sally Ann or Saint Vinnies with their children in tow,
To pick up a hamper that only added to all their drear,
As the same amount of donations had to be spread thinner this year.
Oligarchs of all stripes were lively and quick,
To take up more powers for the body politik,
Even when shown to not be what they claim,
The media hallowed and praised each one of them by name.
No abuse was condemned, no matter how brazen,
Even when leaders trespassed a restriction long after phase in,
How dare commoners eat on patios or meet at the local hall,
And expect those in charge to follow the same rules - the gall!
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up onto social media, the allegations flew,
From Karens reporting on any whose fears were too few:
“This man was walking without a mask,
And he actually feigned surprised at my small ask,
That he ought to put one on, even outside:
He’s precisely the very reason my dear old aunt died!”
People tried to celebrate, under the government’s foot,
But if you were found out, a man would come in clothes black as soot,
With all the authority of the state at his back,
And a endless amount of fines inside of his pack,
Every informer and enforcer’s eyes twinkled - so scary!
Their mouths twisted in snarls, hands ready and wary,
Taking delight in the chaos it was their right to sow,
Impatient to invade the household next down the row
The public bore all of this punishment through gritted teeth,
Frustration’s smoke encircling each of their heads like a wreath,
And from the depths of their souls to the tops of their guts,
They couldn’t shake the feeling all of these policies were just nuts.
To soften these blows, in lieu of proper festivities,
Citizens were paid with their taxes to suspend all activities,
A one time subsidy, that was brutally small and flat,
Apparently “means-tested” is for every public policy - but that!
So the Nativity was cancelled throughout the land,
The consolation prize was either a half or a whole grand,
But combined with previous public debt as well as a cunning mind,
It was enough for adding to stockpiles of the bath tissue or ammo kind.
Thus it would seem this year’s Christmas has been forbidden,
And all of our seasonal, yuletide fellowship must be hidden,
But I’m sure our dear leaders are doing everything right,
So...“a merry Covid season to all, and to all a good fright!”
