Paul S. Gifford

THE NIGHT BEFORE THANKSGIVING

‘Twas the night before Thanksgiving
And all through the farm
Were smells of pies baking
Pumpkin, apple, and pecan

When armed with me gun
In the yard I went
To inform the turkey
His last day had been spent

But he looked up at me
With that sad turkey look
And as I raised the gun
He just started to cluck

I just couldn’t do it
It just wasn’t right
So I put down me gun
And hugged on him tight

This next point I want
Yes, I want to make clear
As in the end we did indeed have
Turkey for dinner this year

Yes we fed our old bird
On popcorn and seed
and he clucked merrily
So glad he’d been freed

It was the best Thanksgiving
We all ever had
And as we watched football
We felt mighty glad

As that Turkey has made
the perfect house pet,
and we had a Thanksgiving
We soon shan’t forget.