Hacken Thanksgiving 2013
Twas the Hacken Thanksgiving, and after dinner ingesting
Every creature was stirring and definitely not resting.
The pumpkin pie was stored in the frig in small slices
In hopes it would last till the next big food crisis.
The children were as restful as runaway freight trains,
While way too much sugar rushed through their veins.
And mamma in her apron and I so ambitious
Had just settled in to wash up the dishes.
When down in the guestroom there arose such noises
I sprang from the sink to find the sound that destroys us:
Away toward the basement I flew with such cares
That I stumbled on my shoelace and fell down the stairs.
The light on the screen from the game console Wii
Gave the lustre of mid-day to the Philips TV
When, how could my wondering eyes be so lucky,
But to see the cutest children in Northern Kentucky.
With a grandpa so lively for his laugh and guffaw,
I knew in a moment it must be Opa.
The kids in a tangle he was trying to tame,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
"Now Devin! now, Derek! now, Hallie and Dylan!
You’ve gotten excited: relax; you need chillin’!
You’ve done really well with the game scores we’re keeping.
Now dash away your tears: there’s no need for weeping.
And then I heard in their sparkling voices
Some laughter, cause happiness was one of their choices.
As I drew in my head to see what could be seen,
The kiddies ran off to their fun trampoline.
Opa was dressed in blue, from his head to his shoe,
And Hallie said she thought his shirt was ugly, too.
Some Austrian slippers he had placed on his feet,
And he looked like a geezer who’d had too much to eat.
His eyes-how they twinkled! Because he wore glasses!
When he tried to chase Dylan, he was slow as molasses.
He had a nice family, because he was lucky,
And he was just happy to be in Kentucky.
He was just a bit plump, for he’d gotten out of shape,
And he held himself together with glue and scotch tape.
A wink of his eye when he made a funny face,
Gave me to know that family takes first place.
He spoke lots of words: every day was a fun day
And then it was time to go, because it was Sunday.
And laying his suitcase inside of the car
And giving a nod, it was time to fly far.
He sprang to the Sienna, said “Farewell from Granddaddy,”
And away they all flew to an airport near Cincinnati.
But I heard him exclaim, outside the departure hall:
"Happy Thanksgiving to you, I appreciated it all!”
-- Opa Hacken