An Ode to Bedford Traffic on the 198th Anniversary of ‘A Visit from Saint Nicholas’

December 23, 2021

~ Submitted by Laura Keating

The frontispiece from a vintage edition of ‘A Visit from Saint Nicholas’ ~ published by James G. Gregory, New York City, with drawings by F.O.C. Darley, a well-known 19th-century American illustrator.

Marooned in holiday traffic along The Great Road, Laura Keating penned this update to ‘A Visit from Saint Nicholas:’

Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the town, not a vehicle was moving, causing drivers to frown.

Traffic lights are hung from the poles with great care, but their timings are futile, which leads to despair.

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The vehicles are gridlocked all down The Great Road, while curse words and gestures continuously flowed.

When what to my wandering eye should appear, but a text message from home, of a basket of cheer!

Now Civic, now Bronco, now Pilot and Prius. On Chevy, on Mazda, on Lexus and Kia.

To the top of the hill, we continue to crawl. Get through the light, now dash away, dash away, dash away all.

Editor’s Note: ‘A Visit from Saint Nicholas’ was published 198 years ago today—December 23, 1823. The poem was first published anonymously;  Clement Clarke Moore claimed authorship in 1837.

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