"'twas the night before.........."...................a poem

[fraankie]

“A VISIT FROM BILL W.�<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

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‘Twas the night before Christmas,<o:p></o:p>

when all thru the house<o:p></o:p>

Everyone was dead drunk,<o:p></o:p>

even the mouse<o:p></o:p>

The stockings were thrown by the chimney

----Who cared?<o:p></o:p>

No hope at all that St. Nicholas would ever be there<o:p></o:p>

The children all snuggled, with Gypsy Rose wine in their beds

While visions of Ernest and Julio Gallo crushing grapes <o:p></o:p>

danced in their heads<o:p></o:p>

And Mama in her kerchief <o:p></o:p>

and I w/two jugs<o:p></o:p>

Were about to knock off another two 6-packs<o:p></o:p>

of bud chug-a-lugs<o:p></o:p>

When a knock on the door<o:p></o:p>

“---Who the heck could it be?�<o:p></o:p>

As I fell off the couch and crawled on one knee<o:p></o:p>

Opened the door, fell flat on my face

And heard someone say

“Dr. Bob, we’re in the right place�<o:p></o:p>

“You start the coffee, I’ll start the shower� <o:p></o:p>

“Hey, guys� I said, “ Do you want a whiskey sour�<o:p></o:p>

As they shut the door, <o:p></o:p>

I caught a glimpse of the new fallen snow<o:p></o:p>

What me and mamma were in for, little did we know?

One was dressed all in black, from his head to his foot<o:p></o:p>

The other, well, I was so drunk -- who gave a hoot?<o:p></o:p>

They started to twelve step us, right from the start

<?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:line id=_x0000_s1027 style="Z-INDEX: 2; POSITION: absolute" to="531pt,-36.4pt" from="-81pt,-36.4pt"></v:line>“You better admit you’re powerless,� Bill W. said,<o:p></o:p>

<v:line id=_x0000_s1026 style="Z-INDEX: 1; LEFT: 0px; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left" to="0,8.75pt" from="-8in,8.75pt"></v:line><v:line id=_x0000_s1028 style="Z-INDEX: 3; LEFT: 0px; POSITION: absolute; TEXT-ALIGN: left" to="36pt,8.75pt" from="-36pt,8.75pt"></v:line>As he rubbed my face w/snow

Dr. Bob said, “Your life is unmanageable,<o:p></o:p>

John Barleycorn is taking you to hell�

“Give back the Scotch,� I gave out a yell<o:p></o:p>

Bill w. and Dr. Bob all thru the night<o:p></o:p>

They talked and they talked

Me and Mama rolled our eyes<o:p></o:p>

“Who gives a heck? I want a drink!�<o:p></o:p>

We squawked and we squawked

Bill W. gritted his teeth and gave us a long look<o:p></o:p>

Dr. Bob pounded the table as he read the BIG BOOK

Then suddenly it happened ---

THE MESSAGE RANG SO CLEAR<o:p></o:p>

I looked at Mama ////////// she looked at me<o:p></o:p>

“You’re right�, I exulted, <o:p></o:p>

“there will be no more drinking ‘round here�<o:p></o:p>

Sunlight streamed in thru the shutters<o:p></o:p>

As night turned into day<o:p></o:p>

“Mama� I said “get the children ready-----<o:p></o:p>

We’re all going to AA�<o:p></o:p>

Bill W. gave me a pat on the shoulder and a handshake<o:p></o:p>

Dr. Bob gave Mama a hug,<o:p></o:p>

“You can do it, <o:p></o:p>

if meetings, meetings, meetings you make�<o:p></o:p>

Each gave a nod as they walked out the door<o:p></o:p>

To carry the message to so many, many, many more<o:p></o:p>

But I heard them exclaim<o:p></o:p>

Ere they drove out of sight<o:p></o:p>

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“HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL IN AA<o:p></o:p>

AND TO ALL A GOOD NI