Serving God in the heart of our community since 1881

St Andrew's Church, Taunton

Henry's goat

(This is the poem that was read by Lord Cope at the Kids for Kids Candlelit Christmas Concert on Wednesday 12 December 2007 at St. Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, London. Its author, St. Andrew's member Henry Haslam, was invited to attend the concert to hear it read. The Founder of the charity Kids for Kids came across the poem on this website, and everything went from there...)

For Christmas 2005, Henry’s daughter and her husband gave him a present from World Vision’s Alternative Gift Catalogue. Because he’s old and a bit stupid, he got the wrong idea to begin with…

Dear Sarah and Dave, thank you ever so much:

A gift that’s alive, and so soft to the touch.

A gift of a goat: what a lovely surprise!

(I’m glad that you told me before it arrives.)

A gift of a goat – and it’s coming today?!!

It’s hungry, I’m sure, so I’ll lay in some hay.

I’ll sweep the top room for this heart-warming gift;

It’s nimble on stairs, so it won’t need a lift.

I’ll take it for walks every evening and morn,

To seek out the tastiest bramble and thorn.

We’ll learn where to find the most succulent thistle.

I’ll teach it to canter to me when I whistle.

I’m so looking forward to meeting my goat.

It’s winter-time now, so I’ll make it a coat.

I don’t go to work; I could do with a pet,

And a goat with a coat is the finest pet yet.

But steady… read further… look carefully and see…

This glorious goat is not coming to me.

The card makes it plain that it’s not mine at all:

It’s helping a family in… Laos or Nepal.

It’s part of a scheme to help people in need,

To raise living standards by sowing the seed,

To give folk a start; after that, so we reckon,

Prosperity, health and nutrition will beckon

My goat doesn’t know, but its message is clear:

The message of Christmas, the message of cheer.

The gift of a goat tells of peace and goodwill,

From Chile to China, from Chad to Brazil,

Encircling the planet again and again –

Mongolia… Malawi… Jamaica… Ukraine –

The message of Christmas, of God come to earth,

The message of Christmas, the news of new birth.

Sometimes I shall think of that glamorous goat,

The goat of my dreams, the goat with a coat,

The gift I won’t see, the best present I’ve had.

My thanks to you both, and with lots of love,

Dad

 

THIS POEM HAS BEEN PUBLISHED AS PART OF A BOOKLET. PLEASE HENRY HASLAM FOR DETAILS.   VISIT THE KIDS FOR KIDS WEBSITE

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