'Twas the week before Christmas: A poem by Jimmy Jests

‘Twas the week before Christmas, we were all on the couch
We were self-isolating and couldn’t go out;
The restrictions were tough and some say unfair,
The hopes they’d be lifted were not very clear;

The children had screens stuck to their heads,
While the adults were shouting “get to your beds”;
And mammy on Facebook and I on Tik Tok,
While taking a zoom call from the boss man at work,

When up popped a notification from Twitter,
That NPHET had sent the Taoiseach a letter.
Will they open the pubs and let us go on the lash?,
The excitement was such that it caused Twitter to crash.

The letter was leaked and we all wanted to know
If the news was good or would we talk to Joe,
When, I read it out loud I was shaking with fear,
Just hoping to put an end to a disastrous year,

But my hopes were dashed and I nearly got sick,
When I realised that they wanted a new level 6
No retail will open and the pub closures the same,
Well I cursed and I shouted and called them by name;

“Now, PFIZER!, MODERNA! NOVARTIS and OXFORD!
Now, MERCK, SANOFI, and JOHNSON & JOHNSON!
Get on with the vaccine please hear our call!
Now work away! work away! Work away all!”

Maybe then, we can mingle all under one roof
While dancing and singing and smiling as proof
That life’s back to normal and we turned this around,
We did as they asked us, though sometimes we frowned.

Our hands we kept clean and our own hair we cut,
We all kept our distance by that important six foot;
Grannies and Grandads missed out on so much,
Smiles from their grandkids but please do not touch!

Their eyes – need to twinkle! Once again to be merry!
Surrounded by family and a small glass of Sherry!
Things we all took for granted but now we all know,
That nothing’s for certain so let all your love flow.

So next time you hear the birds sing and wind whistle,
Or watch small children cry when they fall on a thistle.
At the end of every dark tunnel there is always a light,
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!