Nibble and Bit

‘Twas the night before the Day of Giving and all through the house
Every creature was running about right down to the smallest mouse.
“Who will try to outdo me?” they each did fret,
While only digging themselves deeper into debt.

“Should be called the Day of Consumption”, Mama said,
“Whoever invented such a day should be shot dead”
Quickly Dad snapped - “Don’t say such out loud”
“You never know who lurks about in this crowd”

The year is 2121
And the “Season of Giving” is no longer fun.

The season started with the “Day of Feast and Rest”
Then Black Friday put everyone’s shopping skills to the test.
They were all able to spend so much more this year
And yet there is less good cheer.

That cold dark night children slept
And those looking over the bills stayed up and wept.
Children woke up when the sun arose
Waking their parents up by tweaking their nose

Within minutes every gift was opened and paper was all about the floor
Grandma and Grandpa will be bring more at quarter to four
Dad sighed as mom grabbed her broom
While each child took their loot and disappeared into their room.

As the sun set and the moon came out there was a knock on the door
Grandma and Grandpa had come with more.
Again the children went about their frenzied routine
When something different happened at four fifteen

The key to the old Kookoo clock Grandpa had found,
And quietly he toiled until it was wound.
Out of the clock the bird came with a clatter,
And tossed an object into the punch bowl causing it to spatter.

Grandpa grabbed the object and cleaned it in a jiffy
Wondered if it still worked, the odds seemed iffy.
What is was only Grandpa seemed to know
A micro drive holding memories of a time long ago

Grandpa went into the cellar and cleared off the dust
And inserted the object into a box which seemed to be made of rust
And in a flash an image came to the screen
“Windows United” – it was an old machine

Quickly Grandpa unclipped the yellow cable from its jack
“The machine will be allowed to run for two hours, then I’ll have to put it back”
And on the screen appear many weird things
The youngest child did ask “Why is there a doll on the tree and why does it have wings?”

As they looked through pictures from so long ago
The only thing they recognized was the season’s snow.
Phrases such as “Merry Christmas” and “Peace to All”
Wasn’t a memory the children could recall

Pictures, movies and songs crammed onto the micro drive
And suddenly an autorun program brought them all alive
The screen went black and then a face appeared on the screen
Grandpa said “That’s my grandpa back in 2017”

Instantly the man on the screen said “be quiet and turn the volume down”
Then grandpa’s grandpa said “What I am going to show you will cause trouble in your town”
“In the year 2012” he began, “Some great politician decided that every racial split he could mend”
“So came the great day of censorship, and all hard drives were scrubbed of material that might offend”

“PC’s (Personal Computers) were replaced by PW’s (Personal Workstations) in 2013”
“And those who defied the order were relocated in 2014”
On the screen there was a flash and the screen was Icon filled,
Then one icon was flashing and the voice said “Having this data could get you killed”

The icon looked like a book with a line going up and down dividing it evenly in half,
With another line going across cutting each side unequally, making the children laugh
“This book must be bad, the dividers of the cover did not know how to share”
Then click upon the icon another child dare

The screen went black then came a voice
“’Tis the season to give Thanks and Rejoice”
“Give Thanks to who?”
“What other weird things to they do?”

Grandpa said “next” and what did appear
Pictures of people with nothing much, except for good cheer.
Black and white pictures from 1909
Grandpa laughed and said “That’s way before my time”

Taking up most of the mantle was a bunch of dolls and a stable
Said the youngest child “What is so wrong about that fable?”
Replied Grandpa “A people who once formed a great nation,
Believed that this baby was the key to their salvation”

In his time he spoke of His Father God and sin,
He spoke of heaven and how to get in.
He stood up for goodness and righteousness the Bible clearly shows
And of course he stepped on the corrupt authorities’ toes

He died for our sins; he committed no crime,
But his purpose was to save mankind throughout all time.
Those who believed in him had many radical notions
Such as “all men being created equal…” caused quite a commotion

Following Christ one was to be a servant not a slave
He taught people to forgive and shared the news that even God forgave.
But as time went by, people of the great nation thought that good meant being nice,
And elected leaders with great smiles, but hearts of ice.

It was during the time of tolerance and diversity the peoples’ differences grew,
And from its foundations the nation’s people withdrew
Soon all just knew there was no creature greater than man,
Gone was God, salvation and His plan.

At first society felt it was great to be free,
But it crumbled as people thought only of the supreme me.
With no other authority to challenge those who ran the state,
The masses had no control or alternative to their fate.

So in 2008
Let’s take a stand before it’s too late.
Spread the blessings of God far and near,
Spread such blessings and have no fear.

So when the words “Happy Holidays” make it to your ear,
Respond with “Merry Christmas” as to spread the good cheer.