Clyde and the Visit from Santa Hooves

Happy Day-After-Hearth's Warming! In the spirit of the season, I'd like to share with you a holiday poem I recently wrote, which was inspired by Clyde's Tales, an awesome open-collab anthology compiled by Salivanth, which you should definitely check out if you haven't already.

And now, without further ado, I present "Clyde and the Visit from Santa Hooves."

'Twas the night before Hearth's Warming, and all 'cross the farm
Not a pebble was rolling, no cause for alarm;
The dolls were lined up on the mantle with care,
To greet Santa Hooves when soon he'd be there;

The daughters were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of rock candy danced through their heads;
And Ma in her 'kerchief, and Clyde in his cap,
Had just settled their brains for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
Clyde sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Through the hallway and down the long staircase he soared,
His heart racing as he threw open the door.

When, what should his wondering eyes find lying here,
But a gilded red sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
And a red unicorn with a beard like the moon,
It was Santa Hooves, Clyde was quick to attune.

"Good evening," Clyde said with a tip of his cap,
"Is something amiss? I heard a loud clap."
Despair took the twinkle from Santa Hooves' eyes
As he lifted his sack and explained with a sigh,

"My sleigh's broken down right here on your lawn,
And I've still half Equestria to visit by dawn!
With these toys to deliver, and now this repair,
I may not be able to reach everywhere!"

"Fear not," Clyde replied as they stood in the snow,
"Many hooves make light work, as I'm sure you must know;
While you go inside and do what you may,
I'll fetch my tools and examine the sleigh."

And so, as Santa went to do his work,
Clyde lifted the sleigh 'til it rose with a jerk.
The problem, he saw, was a break in the track;
With a squirt of superglue, it quickly snapped back.

"Thank you, sir!" Santa Hooves exclaimed with a smile,
"Now I must be going, I've been here a while."
With that, he climbed carefully into the sleigh,
Took the reins with his magic, and shouted, "Away!"

"Now, Candor! Now, Charity! Now, Ardor and Glee!
On, Amity, Goodheart, Crumpet, Eternity!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!"

And Clyde heard him exclaim as he flew out of sight,
"Happy Hearth's Warming to all, and to all a Good Night!"

What do you think? Maybe someday I'll be as great of a poet as Maud!