A Modern Christmas Carol

 Hark! The cash till loudly rings!
Glory to the marketing!

 Half our revenues depend
On the money you will spend
At the mall this Yuletide season,
Buying things for no good reason.
Gifts for everyone you know,
Stuff unneeded, just for show.

Hark! The cash till loudly rings!
Glory to the marketing!

 Hail our modern civic pride!
Hail the season glorified
In October and November,
All the way into December!
Hail the wreaths on lampposts hung!
Hail “White Christmas”, loudly sung!
Yet in all this joy we see
Bless us! No Nativity!

Hark! The cash till loudly rings!
Glory to the marketing!

 Only at this season’s time
Do we, in our mercy, find
Time and funds from our great store
Selflessly to serve the poor.
This we do because a saint
For our elevation came:
Born to serve in Heaven’s cause,
Our example – Santa Claus!

Hark! The cash till loudly rings!
Glory to the marketing!

1992