Twas The Day After Christmas

Twas The Day After Christmas
By Megan Jones

Come, gather round, for I’ve a story to tell,
About the day after Christmas and the things stores want to sell.

Twas the day after Christmas, when all through the town,
Everybody was rushing, all store-ward bound.
For even though they had just gotten gifts galore,
All they could think of was more, more, more.

The children were angry, cross-armed in the back seat,
While their little eyes welled up with tears of defeat.
For they had planned on playing with their new toys and blocks,
But wound up going to the store for a sale on socks.

Out from their cars, a myriad of people did dash,
Eager to spend more of their hard-earned cash.
All of them armed with assorted coffees in hand,
In the stores, there was barely a place left to stand.

People not content with their gifts under the tree,
To the return lines, they all did flee.
It was clear that pandemonium spread throughout the store,
As dozens more people streamed in through the door.

The sales men were harried, hard pressed to sell,
As everywhere more and more prices fell.
Some of them with megaphones shouted out to the crowd,
Their voices a little raspy from being quite loud.

“Now lady up front! Now man in the back row!
Onward! Onward! It all must go, go go!
To the sporting goods! To the accessories! To that back wall!
Now hurry away! Hurry away! Hurry away all!”

People looked zombified, dispossessed of soul,
Obviously mesmerized by the sale’s mind control.
All their eyes were alight with greed,
Momentarily forgetting they were still paying off their house deed.

Some parents with their kids grudgingly in tow,
Raced up and down each and every row.
While others zoomed about willy-nilly,
Forgetting that they had left behind little Billy.

“Oh my God! Look at that over there!
Those earrings, they’re only ten dollars a pair!”
“But Mama, don’t you have the same ones in black…”
However, before the child could finish, she was at the next rack.

There was a sale on Christmas items, on trinkets, on CD’s & hats,
And one on chocolates, on tools, not to forget on DVD’s & placemats.
There was a discount on this row, and a bargain on that one,
Causing shoppers everywhere to break out in a frenzied run.

Shopping carts were filled with things you’d find hard to believe,
While throughout the store, kids begged their parents to leave.
However, the persistent shoppers were not to be swayed,
Even as into afternoon, the hours did fade.

Soon many things were picked over, the shelves almost bare,
With some people still flitting about here and there.
Yet, most of the shoppers were just about satisfied,
Having their excessive desires instantly gratified.

And as the sun set, and the day came to a close,
The shoppers made one last sweep past the clothes.
Pleased that there was nothing left they still wanted to get,
They rushed to wait in line, oblivious to their inevitable debt.

Laden down with their purchases, to the parking lot shoppers shuffled with a sigh,
As the battered and worn-out sales reps waved goodbye.
Overwhelmed with joy as the greedy shoppers left their sight,
Happy not to be stuck with forthcoming bills, they slept soundly that night.