The Truffles Tree
by Kerstin
and Temple Williams
with deepest apologies to Clement Clarke Moore
(author
of The Night Before Christmas)
Our
story for 2005 involves our new cat, Truffles, and her favorite tree, and Florida,
hurricanes, neighbors, friends, family, life as we love it, fear it, respect it
and enjoy it. But, mostly, it's about the Truffles Tree, set to the literary tune
of The Night before Christmas.
'Twas
six weeks before Christmas,
And all through Palm Beach
Not a creature was
stirring,
Not even the geese.
[Note:
This was the first hint Truffles had
that something was wrong, because her
tree
overlooking the canal in back of
our house was empty … none of the usual
racket from birds and bugs waiting to be scared away from the birdfeeder. "It's
going to be bad," Temple told his neighbors. "The birds are all gone,
they've left … no birds."]
Next
day would bring clouds
in the sky without care,
a hint that Hurricane
Wilma
soon would be there.
The
night before we nestled
all snug in our beds,
as visions of canned beans
began
to dance in our heads.
