ONE MORE GAME WITH SANTA Checkmate Santa, that’s the game None better have I played Of all the humans I have met with rackets, dice or poker bets Santa, you’ve a brilliant mind, Close to the caliber of mine Planning plays ten turns ahead You’re just what they always said Santa, one more game before you go One red candle burnin low The reindeer and the elves all know You can't resist a game of wits they’ll wait while you’re here below one more game and I’ll let you go The earth can be a sorry place, but there’s one thing that makes me stay I love these games that humans play, Come on Santa, make my day Rarely have I met my match in this world of men and cats Oh to encounter now and then an intellect, a true sportsman Santa, one more game before you go One green candle burnin lo The reindeer and the elves all know You can't resist a game of wits they’ll wait while you’re here below one more game and I’ll let you go My chimney shook, I watched in interest Santa came out checking his wrist He said I have some extra time Shall we play for a little while I thank the twinkling stars above me The one called god might even love me Santa knew the gift I wanted Was a night of competition Santa, one more game before you go One green candle burnin low The reindeer and the elves all know You can't resist a game of wits they’ll wait while you’re here below one more game and I’ll let you go I know the gift you want the most Is to play chess with a virtuoso It just so happens I am one I am the North Pole champion The summers can be long and slow In the far reaches of the north pole The elves are cunning sharp and quick They’ve taught me all manner of Strategic tricks

THE STORY OF THE SECOND SANTA Santa back when we first met you were young and slim 400 years or so before your arthritis set in Just a couple of kids who thought that death was for them to decide Just a couple of kids racing flying sleighs across the velvet skies Back then Santa, we thought that presents solved it all 400 years or so before the banks and shopping malls Just a couple guys with a couple of sleighs piled with presents tall Just a couple of fools who thought that gifts could bring peace to us all Santa we were wrong I should have known it all along I must leave Christmas up to you Which means only half the world gets done Yes we were two Santas that the world assumed was one But now there’s just one Santa cause the secret (second) Santa’s done I’ve got weary bones like gamblers huddled round their dice Waiting for the wind of need to blow the snake eyes twice Santa we were wrong I should have known it all along I must leave Christmas up to you This secret second Santa’s done Santa look me in the eyes and santa tell me true If you had it all to do again, what do you think you’d do Santa if you could go back would you do it all the same Would you give the people whats good for them or give them what they crave Santa we were wrong I should have known it all along It’s a reckless man who thinks he may Change the world with a flying sleigh It’s a foolish world that thinks one could do A job thats clearly meant for two It’s a reckless man who thinks he may Change the world with a flying sleigh I must leave Christmas up to you This secret second Santa’s through My sleigh is shooting off into the horizon without me

I ATE YOUR CHRISTMAS CARD I received the letter you wrote dear It said in a silvery script Merry Christmas and happy new year And you sealed it with a kiss~~~~: I ate the envelope I ate it in full I tore it in pieces and mixed it into my cereal I peeled off the stamp my dear, And it’s become a part of me, you see I received the card and It wasn’t too hard to eat it entirely: I opened the card you sent And it sung me a tune A tinny old ditty that I thought only you and I knew I took it apart my dear With a longing heart, my dear With God as my witness, It felt more like Christmas, with each paper bit that I chewed I ate the envelope I ate the stamp Its a bitter card of a lonely heart bringing out this hunger I have That’s why I ate your Christmas card I did it for all to see I cut out the XO and I’ll have you know that it’s hung on my Christmas tree

TWO LOST TIMBERS Is it you sweet cedar I cant see through the fog We’re just two lost timbers who wont ever be logs Brush my branches as soft as dew falls We’re just two lost timbers on our way to be logs Hey there honey with your branches so green, you’re all lit up like a yule tide dream Get spruced up and we can go downtown And run around in circles till they chop us down Lets wander the streets we got some time to kill When the humans walk by we just stand real still We can place some bets on who’ll go first on who gets cut or who gets burned ~~ 
 It’s hard to miss that twinkle and the way you shine No I’m not talking about the ornaments and lights Even from all the way across the street I can see the brilliant tree you’re meant to be Get spruced up and we can go downtown We can pretend we just met in the hotel lounge And I’ll dance you in circles till you snap a twig We’ll go up in flames like our parents did The time is now cedar cant you see Life is short for a Christmas tree One day your a sapling reaching towards the sun Then they cover you and light and then you’re done ~~ Is it you sweet cedar I cant see through the fog We’re just two lost timbers who wont ever be logs Brush my branches as soft as dew falls We’re just two lost timbers on our way to be logs [[[[[[[[[[[+++++++++++++++++++++++++++]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

Ice Doth Reign Twas in the Christmas of '09 i went on a stroll serene to my favorite quiet place amongst the evergreens twas there I saw a merry elf, he said, now come with me lets travel to the farthest north where the ice doth reign supreme I was so dazzled and enthralled and I gave him my hand and we flew like comets through the sky  to the strangest wintery land the horns did blow as we approached, a carpet was unfurled the ice flies buzzed and the snow seals barked and the icy wind mills whirled The merry elf with a cheeky smile, said, come in and have some tea for we have reached the farthest north where the ice doth reign supreme and we walked inside his warm abode where he put the kettle on And there I saw the strangest sight, steam shaped like pentagons The elf said make yourself at home, theres a tv and croquet (some clay) Or rest like a guest on the west guest bed, the one with the silk duvet He handed me the finest teacup I had ever seen And as I sipped I felt such bliss that I fell down to sleep When I awoke I was outside, the elves were gathered round me They held each other’s little hands and danced round fervently The song they sang was old and wild, the words I did not know The ice flutes played and the snow seals sang and the sun set o’er the snow Slowly then a ball of light descended from the sky And a lowly lowly a deep voice said now the time is nigh You are the new anointed one, the next bold santa claus And I looked up and there was a seal with a green wreath in his paws He said, my child, now kneel before the magic wreath of old Your fate will be forever more entwined with green and gold The sacred wreath I now bestow upon your lucky brow You have been blessed to walk the path of Santa starting now I felt my life flash before my eyes, humble tho it may be My small business making scented candles and pottourri I’d miss my husband and my child I’d miss my little home So I looked the great seal in the eye and then I told him no I will not be your santa claus you must find someone else For though my life may seem quite small I love it above all else The elves looked round in fear and shock for they had never known A Santa crowned, who’d stood her ground, and told their master no Now I sit beside my hearth, & look out at the evergreens Sipping tea from the finest teacup I have ever seen My home is filled with wondrous smells of candles and potpourri And I thank my lucky stars I’m not where the ice doth reign supreme

Haircut on Christmas I went for a haircut on Christmas Eve I needed a haircut like you won’t believe I left in my trousers, my coat and my boots I followed my typical morning commute The salon was located not far away I trudged in excitement for what I can’t say I had no particular haircut in mind I wanted the hairdresser, Anne to decide My haircut on Christmas Haircut on Christmas Haircut on Christmas EVE I am a old woman with looooong hair I’ve seen people shiver and try not to stare But I was a beauty, I swear, in my day The rose in my cheek has long withered away And what am I left with when that was my pride Not reading or writing or being so kind My body’s a shell and so is my mind But Anne is a genius I’ll let her decide My haircut on Christmas Haircut on Christmas Haircut on Christmas EVE There I stood in the stillness of soft-fallen snow I saw my reflection there in the window I am not what I pictured oh I’m not what I thought I’m almost as filmsy transparent as fog My hair falls like water and snakes through the air The salon is closed so I’ll wait one more year It’s time now to rest till I wake from this dream As dusk falls next Christmas Eve I’ll try again For a haircut on Christmas Haircut on Christmas Haircut on Christmas Eve

SANTA, YOU’VE CHANGED Santa, You’ve changed In a thousand years one man cannot stay the same And that’s okay Take a week take what you need Take a day just to get away Take your time Santa, it’s alright It’s your life Santa it’s your life Mrs Claus will understand In a thousand years, she knows when somethings wrong with her man Santa make a plan   Yes Dear, I’ve Changed              old ways lose their thrill, old sleighs freeze and chill  Yes, I’ve Changed             I no longer love the sight of my coat of red and white When you’re in charge I know its so hard To step away even just for a day The elves are quite competent they’ll be okay They’ll take care of everything while you’re away Take a week, just take what you need Take a day just get away Take your time , Santa, it’s alright You’ll be so much happier at Christmas time if you Take a week, take what you need Take a day just to get away Take your time santa, it’s alright It’s your life Santa it’s your life Santa, you’ve changed ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE MARCH OF THE CHRISTMAS TREES The Christmas trees came marching from the mountainside Speaking in strange tongues A deep wooden chorus arose from their ranks The time of tinsel and toil had come From their perches upon the highest boughs The eagles spread their wings to fly The sunlight through the branches dappled the ground The cold roots knew the time was nigh ~~ The Christmas trees came marching through the city streets And the people stopped and stared Some of them cried out and fell to their knees Christmas time was truly here From the tops of the tallest office buildings From the suburbs to the subway trains The ground shook as they marched onward To do their duty of the season ~~ Trees that shelter trees that bind the soil to the sands of time Here to offer up their branches marching as the cold advances

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE CHRISTMAS QUEEN we came out of a silver bell we came with a tale to tell the icicle wind whispers snow tales, saying I was sent to the stars to find cold spells in my dreams I see a pearly seat, the throne of a Christmas queen, was it only a dream? in a flash of clarity, I hear the carolers sing for me am I more than I seem? We sailed in a sleigh with my mind for a bell and the sound rang all through where the cold dwells Our sleigh is as light as an eggshell and the stars say 'how do you do mademoiselle?' In my dreams I see the ice towers gleam, the court of the Christmas queen, was it only a dream in the dark recesses of my memory, I hear the wind through the holly trees was it only a dream Was it only a dream? ...or was I once the Christmas Queen. Was it all just a dream? Can one season be my everything? so strange it must be true; it seems the seams of time have come unglued. i once ruled over a vast land with a candy cane scepter in my right hand. Where the people were merry and warm in their sweaters, and the glittering snow fell at my command. Whatever Santa did, I could do better, I’d send gifts post haste all across the land. And the elves in their caps with their capes and their feathers would fly to my side in all kinds of weather. The snowmen so tall, with their noses of carrot, would smile and wink if you happened to stare at them. Kind wooly mammoths would bring me my tea, balanced on their trunks so carefully. Oh yes I was the Christmas queen, sailing my glittering icy domain, singing the Christmas queen’s refrain. Lalalalalalalalalala………./……>>>>>>>>____~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ __________________————————_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Flour Factory Four gray walls and ten tall towers I could see the lights of town all red and green and twinkling A cold night in Knoxville Stair after stair, where dust was everywhere 1,2,3,4 5 seconds of silence 1,2,3,4 seconds I was alright with There was a buzzing in your ears You were by the heater The reason that you came here Then we climbed the fire escape To that special place that looks like an empty swimming pool Stair after stair cold metal and a broken lawn chair 1,2,3,4 5 seconds of silence 1,2,3,4 seconds I was alright with You could stay in But then you’d miss it Looking down at the lights of town All red and green And twinkling