The Odes of St. Clause

1. The Gift of No

“Saint Clause, Crown New
“Give me the desire of my heart.”
So said the little rich boy
To Saint Clause.
Saint Clause, in his Blue Robes
Looked down at the boy,
Saying, “Believe in me,
“Boy, for the gift of Faith is good enough.
“For here I am, come into the world again
“When the Orphans are oppressed
“And the widows small.
“I give you this gift:
“The gift of no.”
 
The rich boy looked upon Saint Clause’s lashy brow
And Golden Crown;
His bushy silver locks
Which ambled over whence:
 
And said to he, “But Saint Clause
“You give all the good boys presents under the tree.”
There, Saint Clause had the Summer Triangle starred upon his back
The Arrow, the Old Man and the Cross,
The three points of the Triangle;
The Aleph upon the Tav betwixt his breast:
Saint Clause said, “My young boy,
"Rich are your parents.
"For Santa’s sleigh comes to give you presents
"In his red robes.
"Your parents give you this myth.
"Let the poor have Saint Clause
"Sons of Israel	
"Robed in Israel’s raiment
"Who brings the toys to the children
"Of the world, those oppressed and poor.
"My helpers are small
"And tiny and dumb.
"You want your toy
"But I give you the gift of no.”
 
The little boy said this,
“But I am a good boy.”
“Tell me boy, what makes you or any boy good?”
The boy said, “I gave my sheckle to the poor.”
“This is good, boy; how many sheckles are your allowance?”
“I have twenty sheckles allowance!” said the boy, happy for his money.
“How many times do you give your sheckles?”
“I gave it once, and what a good sheckle this was.”
“And this makes you good enough to get presents from Saint Clause?”
“Yes!”
Saint Clause said, “Boy, if you gave two sheckles of twenty
"Every time you had them, then you’d be given the gift from God
"Which no Saint Clause can give;
"Wife, child and work.”
The boy thought, “Then I’d only have eighteen Sheckles, every time.”
Saint Clause said, “I give you the gift of no.”



2. St. Clause Crown New

“Make way, make way, O City of the New York
“St. Clause Crown New comes
“Oh New York! He comes! With the Nethanim beside
“And the Trumpeter!” Said Venus
Hovering above, in the dim violet set.
The sun flashed in green splendor
O violet. So comes St. Clause
With Merlin’s prayers for snow
A horse drawn chariot, with sword at his side.
Oh St. Clause! Blue Robe
With the Triune upon his back
And the Aleph and Tav twixt his breast!

The city drew silent
As St. Clause, with grave countenance
Passed down the street.
The snow flurries fell
In white flakes
Drifting to the street
In the coldest of winter nights.
The Empire State Builders
Hung upon their rafters
As St. Clause’s Clydesdales
Stomped in fury.

The city drew silent
As the figure of St. Clause
Stood upon his chariot.
Beowulf, the trumpeter
Merlin with his prayers
Arthur with Excalibur
Brittos with shield and spear.
Stillness.

“Is it Santa?” asked the crowd
In hushed silence.
There, the figure of the thin man
With white beard
Curly white locks, drew his sword from his sheath.
The Nethanim stood.
St. Clause descended his chariot
With the golden crown upon his hoary locks.
His robe swayed, as St. Clause walked toward the crowd.

“Who are you?” asked the police man upon his steed.
“Do you not know me?” asked St. Clause.
“I am the St. whom was spoken!
“With my company of God’s elect!
“I am St. Nicholas, the gift bringer
“St. of the child and St. of poverty!”

“It’s not Santa?” cried a woman,
Whom the eyes of St. Clause wandered to.
“Santa, my beloved, is a myth.
“I am St. Clause, come to bring gifts to the children who need them
“Gold and silver, what is greater than that--- Even love!
“To restore to the holiday’s truth, and joy and thanksgiving!
“To bring men to give to the poor,
“And to uphold!
“To love their families
“And to share with one another lovekindness and blessing
“On the day of our Savior’s birth!”

“It’s not Santa Claus!” cried a woman.

“No,” said St. Clause.
“Santa comes to every good boy and girl.
“St. Clause, he is every man, every woman, every child
“Who has given of his sustenance to the poor.”

“Then who is Santa?” cried a man.

St. Clause drew his sword high
And Venus shown upon it
With her starlight.
Her sheen burst from the heavens
To light the sword.

“I come to sing of peace!
“I come to sing of charity!
“Do you reject your prophets!”

The crowd stood rattled by it.

A little girl with flaxen hair
And Newspapers reached from the 
Crowd. “St. Clause, I am an orphan.
“My parents died.
“St. Clause, I don’t ask for a gift.
“Only for your prayers.”

St. Clause looked upon the child.
“What is your name?”
“Amelia.”
“What is your full name?”
“I have no other name.”
“Then what do you ask for me to pray?”
Beowulf stepped forward.
“Do you wish to speak
“Beowulf of the shires?”
“I do! I know this one,
“For I have fought valiantly for hers to be heard.”
“Little child, what do you ask?”
“I ask you to pray, my friend,
“I ask you to pray that I am not lonely.”
St. Clause Crown new looked to the heavens
And prayed. The clouds moved, with he and Merlin’s prayer.
Beowulf came and knelt beside the child
With Silver Sting at his hilte.

“LORD! Do as this little orphan asks!
“For, she will work hard
“And she will glorify you with her story!”

The snow drifted in flurries
As the Seraphim flew
With their all seeing eyes
And six wings.
They drifted among the snow
Carried by the Spirit’s wind
In light. The people were amazed
And ashamed.

“You are not St. Clause?
“You are a devil!” cried a man.
St. Clause took out his sceptre
And signet ring, pressing the ring upon wax
On a sealed envelope.
“You may have your Santa Clause.
“Let St. Clause come to the poor
“And fill their cheerful faces.”

St. Clause stepped upon his chariot
The color of the sky.
The troop turned
Beowulf smiled upon the little girl
“St. Clause has given his letter to the angels
“By messengers. One day they will get it
“And bring it to God
“And your prayers will be answered.
“Live righteously, and you will have joy
“Like us.” 

Amelia smiled as the troop exited the city.
The sky flashed, and Venus said,
“Oh, City of New York!
“You have been visited by Elijah, Andrew
“And Jude! Yet you have turned your back upon your prophets
“What shall the LORD do unto you?
“Repent! And be filled with kindness!
“Cheer up your poor
“Give them the little meagre bread they need!
“Give them, and St. Clause shall visit thee
“And reward thee with his letters to the angels to answer prayers!”



3. The Reception of St. Clause

Snow fell.
Upon their chariots, came the Trinity.
Hitched was one Cherubim for the Son of Man
One Cherubim for the Daughter of Zion---
He who is the gift of God,
The promised-land;---
Hitched to the Father were two.
Four faces of the Cherubim
Their luminous eyes.

They approached in silence
Through the courts of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Passed they the eyes of the Papal horns
The bishops and the priests.
'pon the inner sanctums of Rome they descended
To find guarding the doors of bronze
Robin Hood, Esquire, and Beowulf the Less.
The two looked upon the faces of Elohim
And bowed to allow the LORD
Into the inner sanctum.

The Pope, graspt the Mayan abomination
Cried out, “Oh Mother Earth,
“You return!”
The dust blew, and he was fallen.
The Daughter of Zion's eyes shewn like a furnace.
The Son drew His sword.

“Open the door!” cried out the faces of Elohim.
The door opened.

Brittos stood nigh the Round Table
A guard in olden leather aegis, whalebone spear and scrimshaw plate.
St. Clause dawned his Winter's Eve robe.
Next to he was Arthur, golden crowned, with abomination---
Arthur flung to the Faces of Elohim
But was struck far away, into the wilderns like Nebuchadnezzar was many years ago.

Beowulf came with Brittos and fell
Worshiping with faces prostrate
To the Faces of Elohim.
Beowulf with his red robes; the pillars of the earth dawning his back.
Cyrus, the LORD’s anointed set at the Round Table
With purple cloth and the Virgin Stars ‘cross his breast and nape.

A messenger, one of the myriads of the Seraphim
Flew, with his manlike body and six wings
Eyes circumferenced round, all seeing.
The four Cherubim haunched like Gryphons
Setting upon their strong thighs.

“St. Clause Crown New!” cried Michael and Gabriel,
Who in robes, dawned like that of a man
Glowed bright.

The Faces of Elohim shewn at St. Clause
St. Simon of the Orphan,
St. Nicholas.

Michael spoke, the messenger, Chief Messenger.
“Simon,--- Zoan, the Sphynx,
“He comes to steal and destroy God’s green earth.
“The message comes to you,
“A Chief of the Nethanim,
“To guard the orphans in their time of distress.”

Simon fell prostrate before Michael,
But the archangel picked up the man.
“Do not worship me,
“Your creator stands nigh.”

Simon looked upon the Faces of Elohim.

“St. Clause, because the birth of the LORD
“Had become a trifle, and the LORD despised the feast…
“They had made it about the traffic of the Kings and Princes of Tyre.
“St. Simon, you must carry this message
“To restore the family, and to make the poor rejoice.
“For men desire the gifts of Saint Clause Crown New
“Yet, the greatest gift is set before you
“The very faces of Elohim.”

Simon wept.

“I give you this charge.
“Krampus, lORD of the elves
“The Nile Dragon
“Sphynx, guardian of the channels of time
“Whom Pharaoh worshiped
“And ruled over during the captivity;
“He, and his elvish sorts
“Come in the raiments of crimson blood.
“They come to deceive the earth
“And fill it with bloodshed.
“Simon, your blue robes testify that all men
“Shall bring gifts to the orphans and the poor.
“St. of the Child
“Let the poor rejoice on this holiday of our Savior’s birth
“And let gifts be distributed liberally.
“Let them open gifts.
“Restore the day of our Savior's birth with Charity and Feasting
“And let the families of the rich sit with great feasting
“And invite all the families of the poor to their banquets
“To fill the mouths of the poor.
“Be a symbol, and restore the spirit of this holiday
“St. Clause. Make the birth of our Savior
“LORD Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
“A day where the poor shall rejoice
“A day when we shall be filled, and our mouths
“Shall eat, and our stomachs rejoice.
“For, St. Clause Crown New
“Let the poor rejoice on this day.
“Lest Krampus come and eat the little children
“Of our good earth.”

St. Clause wept,
“I am unworthy! How can I?”

The Faces of Elohim turned upon him.
“Moses, humble you were..."

St. Clause fell upon his face and wept.
His blue robes lifted, and burned like the blue of hot flames.
He was touched upon the eyes with the coals of Isaiah
And it was given to him,
“Let the time of Christmas
“Be a spirit of rejoicing.
“Let Christ’s feast be for the poor.
“And let the poor rejoice.
“Let the prophets speak in similitudes;---
“The Word Made Flesh proved Himself
“Three in One.”



4.  St. Clause’s War

St. Clause! Arise with thy sword,
For it is time to slay.
With thy Blue Robe, and stars of the Triangle upon thine back
St. Clause comes with chariot,
Dawning his scepter in hand.
His golden crown upon his lashy brow.
The stars shine, and Venus speaks.
"O! World, St. Clause comes tonight
"To slay the beast, Krampus,
"Who comes to slay the children
"And to corrupt their hearts with malice.
"To disillusion them to the miracles of faith!"
An army marches behind St. Clause, ten thousand of the Nethinim.
The armies stand, those of Krampus' Elves and Orcs and Goblins
To steal the children their goodness,
To corrupt their souls with greed.
St. Nicholas, in St Clause's ranks.
"Krampus!" cried St. Nicholas,
"You wish to make the peoples hide
"And abstain from merriment this Christmas Eve.
"We come to you, your Corona shall be broken.
"We lift this scepter over you!"
Venus lit her armaments,
And St. Nicholas cried with a loud voice,
"Krampus, I have given my gold to the orphan,
"And St. Clause has guarded the child
"Against your wickedness.
"Flee, O! Egypt, flee
"For we shall fight thee hence!”
The armies flung for one another
And St. Clause spoke his prayer.
The ground split
And divided the armies of Elves, Orcs and Goblins.



5. St. Clause Wins the War

With Krampus' armies in the pits of hell
St. Clause rose his sword over his head,
And Venus spake,
"All ye of the Earth
"Celebrate ye Christmases
"With the poor,
"Give gifts to the orphans and widows
"Love your neighbors
"And have gladness.
"For it is the joy of Christmas
"And St. Clause has won his war with the Elf King.
"Now, sleep, as the Child Christ slept
"With heavenly peace.
"For, the craven ravines broke
"Open, and fell those hordes
"Of Elves into the pits of Hades."

St. Clause, in his blue robe
Lifted his sword and spake,
"I tender the welcome
"That the Corona of the Elf King has been broken.
"Now the sickle of death has been thwarted,
"And the reaper with his sallow hood
"Whom was in the ranks of Krampus
"That Sickle Wielder Death Himself;
"We call forth for the men to merry
"And the women to eat at their feasts.
"But, remember the poor!"



6. St. Clause Sheaths His Sword

St. Clause sheathed the sword;
Krampus lay beneath the burnished flames of Earth---
The molten fires, the watery fires, the first fire
Of that Second Day of Earth;
Those molten waters.
There, Krampus lay with the thronged
Forks of imps and cockatrices 
Jabbing him, creating eternal darkness and suffering.

Venus appeared in the night sky: 
"Oh, you blessed of the Earth
"The Corona of Death has been beaten
"Off his horned head---
"The Lord of The Air, Belial
"That Krampus, the spirit of the times
"Has been severely shattered---
"He speaks, but the men make their merry
"And he is laid in the dust of the earth
"And returns to the abyss, layed with the bones of kings."

St. Clause, with hoar mane upon his chin
And the twinkling stars of Summer at his back;
The Aleph and Tav worn at his breast
And a crown of gold with silver diadems
Bejeweled with every precious stone,
Sapphire, Beryl, Emerald, Ruby,
Diamonds Pink, Blue and Yellow,
Amethyst, Onyx, Opal the purple of Noah's bow,
Topaz with the insect swimming at its core,
Aquamarine, Jasper, and the pearlescent meteorite stone
Which was harvested from Abaddon's prison;
Worn as a reminder of victory over Krampus,
Over death. It, the Meteorite, black as the night
But when shined upon the light, 
It is like a shifting wizard's judgment:
It flashes green, then red, than back to black again.




7. St. Clause at Miggedo

St. Clause, in clydesdale, roamed across the field of Megiddon.
In his chariot, he came, and before him were the faces
Of the Philistines. St. Clause stepped off his clydesdale
And withdrew his scepter. He raised the jewel of Sapphire in the air
And Venus spake,
"O' Israel... besieged::---St. Clause raises his scepter high
"And with the onyx on the breastplate of Goliath,
"He will slay the giant."

Jerusalem appeared from the forests,
And in her beauty she was adorned
With the fruits of harvest.

St. Clause took her by the hand, and said,
"See, o' sons of Israel, the city, Hephzibah, your reward,"
And Jesus Christ stepped off His white steed,
And St. Clause said, "Behold, see o' barren daughters of Israel
"Thy God, and thy Husband!"

St. Clause looked over at the Philistines.
"Barren is your Womb o' Samaria
"For you shall never see the city of Jerusalem,
"With her towers of Jasperesque Gold
"Raising from the sediment of Twelve Gemstones;
"You will never see Mount Zion, larger than all the hills
"And Lo-Jehovah-Jyra, there will be no deliver for you.
"For you used Karma as your magic, and your shield,
"And you used the name of Sin as your God.
"Therefore, the Rider with the horns in his hand
"He slays, and His robes are red."

The LORD, in heaven, Father of all, took His eyes,
And looked at Elijah, and said, "Write it in a book!"

The Kingdom of Heaven is to be established by Christ and His 144,000 alone,
For none are found worthy. Therefore, Repent, oh Israel!
The time is at hand, when you must choose.
Either death or life. Strife or peace.
Take hold of Peace, and be her consort
And clothe thyself with Righteousness!



8. Chariots of the Daughter

He saw three chariots come rolling in
On Christmas day in the morning.
The Daughter was there, with hair long
And this was said:

"Ho! St. Broom's work is only fiction.
"Do not elevate his ideas
"But love them, like Clive Lewis' Lilith
"Or the many other things.
"Or Milton's Arianism.
"Or Blake's Gnosticism.
"Metaphor is where we play with ideas.
"The gift of Christmas is the story
"Of St. Clause, in his blue robes dawned;
"For, the Daughter of Zion is Jerusalem
"And Hephzibah, and Beulah;
"She is our gift of salvation
"And is not one of the trinity.
"But, understand, my little ones,
"Creativity is a blessing upon the earth
"So read your books, and create---
"But elevate nothing to prophecy for such is a mistake
"And dreams are only dreams.
"For, Jerusalem we are given freely
"By Christ, who born as a babe in a manger
"Died for our sins, Amen.
"And that is the only gift of Christmas
"And if we are gifted with "No"
"For worldly treasure or the toys we wanted
"We at least have a city of great, sprawling beauty
"To go to, and rest, and sleep in peace
"And have love, joy and peace and mercy and wisdom
"For all eternity; Blessed forever, in the one gift of Christmas
"That saying, "I know" we will receive."



9. St. Clause Returns to the North Pole

St. Clause, in his Clydesdale, takes his chariot yonder
And is translated to his home in the North Pole.
His blue coat dawns the golden Summer Triangle
With the Cross and Arrow.
His chest has an Aleph and Tav,
As he has a crown of gold upon his head,
And his billowy white locks flow over his crown.
There, he sees Eskimos ride reindeer, in seal leather coats
And they fish in the waves
As Igloos puff smoke. The Eskimos 
Eat their seal, smoked and braised,
And there, upon the very tip of the pole,
Is a St. Peter's Basilica,
In its austere, green dome.
His Clydesdales blow raspberries,
And the Inuits from Norway,
Mongolia, Russia, and many other places
Congregate around him to welcome him home.
Meanwhile, a dove flies, and gives St. Clause
His letter. Amelia's prayers have been answered.
St. Clause closed his book, who got the Gift of Yes,
And he sips upon his Hot Cocoa.
So Venus cries out!
"Krampus has been defeated!
"Lo, all of you who read this!
"There shall be new challenges for St. Clause
"And new battles to keep Christmas Charity!
"Keep your charity! Give to the children!
"For St. Clause lives in every one of us!"
Before St. Clauses' throne, were two Polar Bears
And they bowed to him, and nuzzled him upon his chest.
And St. Clause hugged them, and smiled 
And gave them each a kiss on their big, white foreheads. 
Higgaion Selah. 

©2017-2025 B. K. Neifert
All Rights Reserved