Twas The Morning After Christmas

Twas the morning after Christmas when all through the Kyzer compound
The boys were getting ready for hunting...someone even brought a hound!
The house had been cleaned of the remenants of presents, papers and bows,
The trash bagged, stashed, and gifts all "properly" stowed.

Four in the morning and Jake with six of his friends had jumped from thier beds.
While visions of wild game danced in thier heads.
Coffee was brewing and the smell of fresh bacon filled the air...
I went back to sleep..they were making a mess but I didn't care.

When in the front yard there arose such a clatter,
I stumbled to the window to see what was the matter.
What could they be doing? Wasn't it still night?
So I pulled back the drapes and turned on the light.

They were trampling around on frost thick as snow,
As the porch light cast an errie glow.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But Richard on his four-wheeler ready to join the last hunt of the year.

Jimmy was ready to get the boys started.
I knew in a moment they would soon be departed.
Quick as a flash he started telling the boys what to do.
He called them by name...some I don't think he knew.

Now Jake, now Richard, now Big Country and what's your name, son?
Now Kieth, now Jerry Wayne...Hunter and Gage, y'all got your guns?
Where's Bruno? It'll be light soon...y'all get this stuff loaded
He poked, he prodded and he goaded.

As dry leaves before a nor-easter do blow,
They jumped in the truck and were ready to go.
So off to the woods they headed in a hurry,
Leaving Papa behind so he had to scurry.

In a flash the yard was empty, 'cept for the runts in the ground.
It was still early and too cold so back to the bed I bound.
I slept peacefully and soundly for several hours,
When finally I got up, had coffee, and decided to shower.

As I entered the hallway there they all stood,
With mud on their boots and leaves in Hunter's sweat-shirt hood.
Little Gage's game pouch was stuffed to over-flowing,
Laughing,telling stories and thier trophies all showing.

How Jake's blue eyes twinkled, Richard's dimple looked so merry!
Thier faces all wind-blown, red like a cherry.
They wanted coffee or something to get themselves warm,
So into the kitchen like bees they did swarm.

Three rabbit tails held tight in his hand,
Gage was rehearsing a show-and-tell story grand.
Outside were deer and ducks and the rabbits, too.
When Jimmy announced, "Come on boys there's still more to do."

They spoke not a word but went straight to their work.
Cleaning and butchering when I turned with a jerk...
I hope they don't think I'm going to cook that wild game.
Not me...I like my meat USDA prime and tame!

As they finished bagging thier catch and cleaned up thier mess,
Jimmy knew what I was thinking at the least he must have guessed.
With a wink to the boys he said, "Don't worry Momma, this you won't have to cook...
We know the receipies are not in your book!"

The boys were still laughing as he clapped them on thier backs.
Let's get our stuff from the trucks and get it unpacked.
Now boys we had a great hunt and it sure was some fun.
Until next season let's check out the magazines for new cammo and guns.