2022

This story follows an alien celebrating their holiday who decides to check in on humans. It could have gone in a lot of different directions, but ended up here.

T’was T’was the night before Whatsmas out in deepest space.
We have a tale to tell of an alien race.
The What they are called, lacking a better name,
Which gave them a self-inflated sense of fame.

“What is that?” many who saw them would say,
While trying to move very quickly away.
The What liked the fact that others knew who they are,
Whether their travels took them near or far.

Their bodies were small and rather quite thin,
And a green color shimmered as the tint of their skin.
Their black bulbous eyes shined in an oversized head,
Their tiny nose and mouth were the opposite instead.

Now Errg sat at his station on this festive of nights,
Thinking it would be great to go out on a flight.
So he took to his saucer and went out into space,
Hoping to find a more interesting place.

A short jaunt through hyperspace, he’d arrived at a planet,
The sensors said the mineral content was mostly granite.
It was a big blue ball with some silly name like Dirt.
The computer said it was Earth, basically dirt, but inert.

Errg flew into the atmosphere and through the night sky,
Knowing nothing could detect him if he didn’t travel too high.
Something special was going on, all the houses lit so bright,
Each decorated with many thousands of lights.

His curiosity got the best of him and down he went for a look-see,
He hovered over the brightest wondering what it could be.
A closer look he wanted so he teleported inside,
What he then saw made even his big eyes go wide.

A tree brightly lit with many boxes beneath,
Over the fireplace was hung a decorative wreath.
A white liquid in a glass sat on a nearby table,
With little round discs, it was like a child’s fable.

Errg walked through the place with some trepidation,
For a moment he wished he was back at his station.
Then what to his wandering eyes did appear,
A human (or so it was called), eyes wide with fear.

It was dressed in pajamas and striped woolen cap,
And looked like it had woken from a long winter’s nap.
It’s body did tremble though it stood very still,
Errg tried to move slowly projecting no ill will.

He made his mouth form a smile, or some semblance thereof,
He ran through the emotions and decided to show love.
“I don’t mean to harm you.  Sorry to intrude.
Crashing one’s party is always quite rude.”

The human calmed slowly with mouth still agape,
Like it was a pet looking to be fed a grape.
It finally found it’s voice, “Are you Santa?” it asked,
“Where’s your hat, your coat, where are your reindeer amassed?”

“I am Errg of the What from the planet WhatHome.
It is a wonderful world, but no reindeer, no gnomes.
I bring you greetings on this fine and festivus night,
Passing the joy of the holiday to make your mood bright.”

“But now I must leave you, I hope you don’t mind.
You can contemplate this close encounter of whatever kind.”
Errg gave a small bow, pressed his hand digit ‘side of his “nose”
A second later, a flash, a hum, and in the teleport beam he rose.

Back in his saucer, Errg set a new course,
One to ease him back home with little or no force.
But he sent back a message, “Happy Holidays, you know,
And next time remember, Klaatu Barada Nikto.”

Klaatu Barada Nikto – Google it
from The Day The Earth Stood Still, 1951

Copyright Ó 2023 by

Brian and Shirley Dean