I Met a Little Man Up On the Green - a Rhyme For New Year's Eve

I met a little man up on The Green On New Year’s Eve, and he was two foot two With quite the reddest nose I’ve ever seen And eyes as bright as summer skies are blue ‘What brings you here?’ I said. He laughed and lit A pipe, inhaled a lot and blew a cloud Of smoke that drifted up where pigeons sit Up high between the Christmas Lights. ‘I’m proud To say that I’m a Moonraker’ he said ‘And every New Year’s Eve I come and chat To ducks, and to the drunks, and to the dead And listen to the bells. Look, there’s a bat!’ I looked and so there was. ‘You’re very small’ I said. ‘Aye, so I am’ he said, ‘but wise And being small means not so far to fall’ He winked at me. A twinkle in his eyes Danced like a firefly. ‘And very old’ I said. ‘Aye, that as well’ he said, ‘but not So old and bitter that my heart is cold’ He offered me his hip flask. ‘Have a tot’ ‘I don’t’ I said, ‘but thank you.’ ‘Look, a cheese!’ He pointed. ‘In the water!’ ‘Isn’t that The moon?’ I said. He laughed. A little breeze Danced light across the Crammer and his hat Fell off. He didn’t care. We watched it sink Together as he sank another dram Of moonshine. ‘Sure you didn’t want a drink?’ ‘As eggs is eggs’ I said, ‘although I am A little curious.’ ‘You wonder why I’m here?’ ‘I do.’ ‘One question’s all you get’ ‘One question?’ ‘Yes. Like why do people die Why birds at all, or why is water wet?’ I asked him about twenty twenty one He thought a moment. ‘Doesn’t do to be Too curious’ he said. ‘Beneath the sun Is nothing new. You’ll have to wait and see’ ‘That’s it?’ ‘It is’ he chuckled. Midnight struck St. James’s bells, and ‘Look!’ and then a swan Did swim across the moon and then, ‘Good luck!’ He cried, and in a puff of smoke, was gone I sat there for a bit. A little weird But then it is Devizes. Nothing new He came along, and then he disappeared As all the years are predisposed to do Then I went home to bed. And when I woke The sun was up, I made a cup of tea And wrote down every word that he had spoke ‘Is nothing new. You’ll have to wait and see...’ © Gail Foster 30th December 2020