An Old SouthCoast Christmas

By Peet Nourjian

We’re delighted to present a work by Peet Nourjian, a poet and play writer, who once made his home on the SouthCoast, now living in coastal Rhode Island.

The poem tells a whimsical tale—with a touch of suspense, of childhood spirit, and the complexities of a holiday that has thankfully survived modern-day scrutiny.

The author leads readers from a peaceful country meadow, through the gaslit streets of historic New Bedford, ending at the darkened wharves which berth whaling vessels housing sailors and mysterious characters, reminiscent of those found in Melville’s writings.

Never quite knowing what his next prose has in store, Nourjian’s subtle incantations create a joyous journey of twists and turns, causing tender reflection and an outpouring of emotions.

Old South Coast Christmas reveals deep sentiments, causing personal reflection on a ‘gift’ which should be delivered to everyone, not only on Christmas Day but all year long.

We wish all of our readers a very Merry Christmas!

One hundred fifty years ago
Before TV and telephones
The girls who called New Bedford home
Would walk to school on cobblestones
Cars were not invented yet
Folks drove wagons or rode horseback
Iron wheels and iron horseshoes
Filled young ears with clickety-clack

“This street is such a noisy route,”
Eliza said to her friend Kate
“Let’s cut across the village green
But hurry, or we’ll both be late!”
Growing up their town was small
A village by a tranquil bay
But since the whaling ships arrived
It grew much larger day by day

Eliza lived on a country farm
With cows and chickens, pigs and sheep
While Kate grew up a city girl
Her father was a chimney sweep
“Can you come over Friday night?”
Kate whispered during history class
“They’re dressing up the Christmas tree
With ornaments of hand-blown glass.”

By the middle of December
Ice was floating on the bay
Snow clouds hung above the city
Afternoons were cold and gray
‘Til that wondrous winter moment
When fiddlers played ‘Oh Little Town…’
Red lanterns strung from shop to shop
Were lit just as the sun went down

Stately windows around the square
Lit the night an amber glow
A giant spruce grew at the center
Its branches white with falling snow
“My Dad climbs up that rigging ladder
To place the star atop the tree.”
Kate told Eliza as they shared
A mug of steaming jasmine tea

Workers hung small whale oil lamps
Carolers sang a Christmas song
Horses decked with harness bells
Jingled as they strode along
“I love to stroll around the square
But there’s another Christmas tree
At a place called India Dock.”
Kate’s voice was laced with mystery.

The two girls crossed a busy street
At Mermaid Lane they took a right
The festive sounds began to fade
Tall sailing masts came into sight
“What is that fishy stink I smell?”
Eliza made a scrunched up nose
“Cleaning after pigs and horses
Compared to this is like a rose.”

Kate whispered, “Please, watch what you say!
The docks can be a dangerous place.”
Just then two sailors swaggered by
One had a scar across his face
Honky-tonk played on the piano
At a tavern called Lost At Sea
The girls turned down an alleyway
In the distance, they saw the tree

A scruffy little evergreen
Wrapped in popcorn, hung with shells
Sprouted from the whale ship’s deck
The cold breeze tinkled dangling bells
“Is this suppose to be a joke?”
Eliza blurted out too loud
A white beard poked up through the hatch
His face revealed that he was proud

“It may not be the town square tree.”
He looked at them with twinkling eyes
“No colored lamps and ornaments,
But less can be a bigger prize.”
Kate answered “Please forgive my friend,
She wasn’t making fun of you.”
He pointed at them with a smile
“Say, how’d you like to be my crew?”

Both girls abruptly turned to go
“It’s getting late. We have to leave.”
“I didn’t mean a crew tonight,
I need some help on Christmas Eve.”
His words wore wings like gentle doves
That nested in their chilly ears
And as they made their way back home
His words they kept like souvenirs

Kate’s mother had the table set
When the girls came in the door
With Irish stew and pumpkin pie
Warm smells filled the interior
And so did notes from a guitar
Kate’s father playing by the fire
“Hark, the herald angels sing”
Sweet voices from the female choir

After pie, Kate showed Eliza
Picture books stored on a shelf
She pulled one down and opened to
A story called “The Christmas Elf.”
“That sailor with the big white beard
That’s him!” as both girls dropped their jaws
The likeness was remarkable!
The caption called him ‘Santa Claus.’

The next day school let out at noon
A week off until Christmas Day
Eliza asked Kate to her farm
They climbed into a horse-drawn sleigh
“Crack!” went the whip and off they flew
Just hoof beats and a barking dog
Through open fields and silent woods
Shortcut through the cranberry bog

“Let’s go look at the newborn lambs
Then search the henhouse for some eggs.”
Kate had a million things to share
A new calf stood on shaky legs
With so much fun out on the farm
Then biscuits, corn, and T-bone steak
By the time dessert came out
Both girls could barely stay awake

The rooster crowed at half-past six
The girls each opened up one eye
“You won’t believe the dream I had,
Christmas Eve with that bearded guy!”
“I had the same dream!” Kate exclaimed
He steered us through the midnight sky
His whaling ship was filled with gifts
We tossed as we went sailing by.”

The skating party on Prescott Pond
Toboggan rides down Two-Mile Hill
Snowball fights, the Nativity play
Holiday fun right up until
December 24th arrived
And still, last-minute things to do
Kate and Eliza walked through town
“You think that captain found a crew?”

They took a right down Mermaid Lane
So many things to marvel at
The tattooed heads and foreign faces
An Eskimo girl wore a cowboy hat
“Stripers, scallops, yellowtail, cod!”
A Chinese man pushed his fish cart
A voice snuck up behind the girls
“Thanks for this feeling in my heart.”

That scrawny Christmas tree of his
Was bent and twisted from the snow
He turned his wooly beard to them
His eyes filled with a wondrous glow
“We have a special trip to make
Raise the sails, cast off from shore.”
Like magic, they knew what to do
As though they’d made the trip before

Not a breath of wind was blowing
Yet their sails filled with a breeze
That pushed them past the harbor light
Far out into the open seas
“Take the wheel and steer us north.”
Eliza did just what he asked
“While you watch for a great red whale.”
Kate climbed the rigging up the mast.

The captain disappeared below
They heard the clang of pots and pans
He came up singing “Jingle Bells.”
With plates of goodies in his hands
“I think I see the red whale, sir!”
Kate’s lofty voice was barely heard
The captain aimed his telescope
Eliza waited for some word

Sure enough a crimson monster
Shot up through the choppy seas
It started swimming at the ship
“Captain, use your harpoon, please!”
But he maintained his friendly smile
With no concern, the ship would sink
And sure enough, the whale stopped short
It raised an eye and gave a wink

“Keep your sights on that Christmas whale.”
He called to Kate high up the mast
The redfish swam a crooked course
“Where are we headed?” Eliza asked
He pointed off the starboard bow
A beam was flashing one, two, three
“That lighthouse is an orphanage
For kids who lost their folks at sea.”
 
They tied up to the lighthouse dock
Captain lifted the cargo hatch
Then handed boxes to his crew
Each wrapped in gold with bows to match
Loaded down with Christmas presents
The three of them marched toward the place
When the orphans opened the door
Happiness swept over each face

“Come in. Get warm. The cocoa’s hot!”
The keeper called out to his guests
“No time. It’s Christmas,” Cap replied
“Our course is north, south, east, and west.”
He hugged the children one by one
Then hurried back aboard the ship
They cast off lines, the sails filled up
That red whale did a double flip

The daytime slowly turned to dusk
And soon a Christmas moon arrives
As captain and his crew of two
Bring joy and hope into the lives
Of those who need a helping hand
Or just a sign that someone cared
The lonesome and the elderly
So grateful for the love that’s shared

“What’s this, a tear?” the captain said
Eliza wiped it with her sleeve
He called Kate over to the light
“Some tears here, too, I do believe.”
They both were thankful for the chance
To help him on his magic trip
“But what about our Christmas fun?”
Kate had a tremble in her lip.

The captain got down on one knee
“You mustn’t feel so awfully sad
You’ll each be back in time to share
Christmas morning with Mom and Dad
There are lots of gifts beneath your trees
But once you’ve opened every one
I know the gift you’ll cherish most
Will be these good deeds we have done.”

His finger pointed to a star
That shot across the nighttime skies
As Kate and Eliza watched it streak
He sprinkled stardust in their eyes
All at once the night sky spun
It swept both girls right off the deck
Higher and higher floating up
Until the ship was just a speck   

“Miss Kate, what’s keeping you in bed?
It’s Christmas morning after all.”
Her father’s voice called up the stairs
“Your gifts are stacked up 3 feet tall.”
She woke up just a bit confused
Her sleepy face looked at the tree
“He promised that I’d be with you.
I knew he’d never lie to me!”

The farm awoke on Christmas morn
A rooster cock-a-doddle-doo’d
Wooly sheep were singing ba-a-ah
The Guernsey cows together mo-o-o’d
Eliza opened tired eyes
She wandered through her bedroom door
Her family wished her “Merry Christmas!
You’ve never slept this late before.”

She marveled at so many gifts
Fuzzy mittens, a furry bonnet
A brand new sled, some new ice skates
A sweater with a reindeer on it
As she unwrapped the very last
Some stardust fell out of her hair
It made her feel all warm inside
“The way you do when people share.”

With Christmas a sweet memory
And school a dozen days away
Eliza made the trip to town
Her presents packed into the sleigh
By the time she reached Kate’s house
Her friend had packed up her gifts too
With arms loaded up with presents
They crossed the busy avenue

First a right down Mermaid Lane
A left and then another right
They found the poorest families there
And helped to make their Christmas bright
By handing out the gifts they had
To those who needed joy and hope
Eliza gave a bristle brush
Kate donated her perfumed soap

And when they had no more to give
The smallest child stepped up to speak
“You two must work for Santa Claus.”
The tear-drops sparkled on their cheeks
As both girls hugged them all good-bye
Arm in arm they skipped with glee
Along the wharf right to the spot
Where they’d first seen that scrawny tree

But at the dock, there was no ship
No captain with a snow-white beard
Just a memory of the night
And that magic course they steered
Next Christmas and each after that
They’d always stroll down Mermaid Lane   
And even though he never showed
His loyal crew they vowed to remain.