Of all the things I've said and done
I can't remember most
My mind just lets them disappear
Like a wave upon the coast

I remember faces
It's names I can not find
My heart holds on to so much more
Than is buried in my mind

My heart holds on
My heart holds on
Even things I think are gone
My heart keeps holding on

Some things that I recall
I'm not sure If I did
The stories kinda muddy
My mind has them well hid

Good times, and the bad ones
My heart it knows so well
My mind has gone and altered
The truth, I can not tell

My heart holds on
My heart holds on
Even things I think are gone
My heart keeps holding on

Sometimes I'll remember
My mind and heart agree
The times we were together
My heart, and you and me

If I get muddled,
And the memories don't fit
My heart might just open
My mind just a bit

My heart holds on
My heart holds on
Even things I think are gone
My heart keeps holding on

My heart remembers much more
Than my mind will ever do
It remembers every word
My love, I heard from you

My mind, it is a builder
It's built a strong and mystic wall
It only tell me what it wants
While my heart, it tells me all

My heart holds on
My heart holds on
Even things I think are gone
My heart keeps holding on

I see people driving
A normal, daily task
Even though they are alone
They're still wearing a mask

I find this confusing
A mask inside the car
But, who am I to judge them
It might not be their car

They follow all the road signs
Stop when the light is red
But, still they go on driving
With a mask there on their head

They drive with such precision
Their aim, to reach the store
Once there, they can not follow
Simple arrows on the floor

They head up every aisle
Against the shopping flow
The arrows show direction
How can these folks not know?

Their mask is also missing
It is hanging off their chin
And when the mask is *****
They can't throw it in the bin

They drive home with no problem
They have no mask this time
They do things without reason
They do them without rhyme

It's really, really simple
When you're shopping in a store
Wear your mask correctly
And follow arrows on the floor

Stay safe, keep your distance
Wash your hands, and follow rules
Kids make it look easy
While adults look like fools

Wear your mask inside the car
No one says you can't
But, please follow the arrows
So others do not rant.

It was early Christmas Eve Day
There was light snow on the ground
And lightly, if you listened
You could hear the slightest sound

It wasn't from a choir
Nor, a speaker on the street
But, a voice, tired and raspy
That would not admit defeat

Normally, at Christmas
The street would be alive
With last minute visits
Before Santa would arrive

Gianni held a party
For the vendors out this way
But, this year, there'd be nothing
There was no party today

Behind his place, The Bluesman
Had moved inside from the cold
He'd moved to the old Church basement
Where his stories were still told

He'd head outside and sing some
His "med-cine" in his jug
Behind the Church he'd set up,
On a wood chair, with a rug

The Bluesman sang to no one
His voice crisp, but not as strong
The elements were tough now
But, they would not take his song

The pastor, always present
Standing, watching by the door
He loved hearing the Bluesman
But, he loved the people more

Some Sundays, not all though
The Bluesman would begin
The service for the pastor
Then the choir joined in

He'd sneak off to the basement
Or outside, with his guitar
The Bluesman, felt his music
Was his lightning in the jar

This morning, though not Sunday
He was singing to the few
Lost souls, and some locals
Who had nothing else to do

The church doors were wide open
Every candle had been lit
It wasn't cold inside there,
But, maybe, just a little bit

He sang some Christmas carols
Some old blues, and Lennon too
He stopped and took a swallow
That was the choirs cue

They'd come in from the alley
The pastor had them in behind
The Bluesman, kept on singing
He was lost inside his mind

The church was filling up though
The voices carried on the wind
To those who always came here
And those who never sinned

There were masks of every colour
In every second row
The pastor kept folks distanced
For this little make shift show

The Bluesman sang a few more
Then he spoke unto the crowd
"Keep those you love inside your heart"
Though it wasn't very loud

He walked on past the pastor
By the choir, to the stair
And like Clement Moore's old Santa
In a blink, he wasn't there

Things this year were different
Not like parties in the past
Held up at old Gianni's
No one knew how long they'd last

There was no star to sing to
It was early in the day
But, we'd got our Christmas present
We'd got to hear the Bluesman play

Maybe next year, would be better
Back to normal, as before
But, who knows, just what will happen
What the muses have in store

So, take the Christmas message
"Keep those you love inside your heart"
God bless you all this Christmas
Another year is set to start

Santa got a letter
From a young boy in Duluth
Will there be a Christmas
Say, it's not the truth

We heard that you aren't coming
This virus is real bad
Folks say there'll be no Christmas
And Santa, I'm quite sad

A virus keeping me away
What does this child say
A Christmas without Santa?
No gifts on Christmas Day

A week went by and letters came
They all said the same thing
We heard there was no Christmas
No gifts to us you'll  bring

So Santa called a meeting
He had to find out for himself
He called everyone around him
Including his top elf

Folks, this is a problem
These children are upset
This virus that they speak of
Is it one that I could get?

Research, do a study
Find out what's going on
I'll not stay home this Christmas
On Christmas eve, I'm gone

So, the elves all started searching
They checked and made the calls
This virus was a bad one
They've cancelled Santa at the malls

A week went by and Santa
Called a meeting just to see
If the virus was a dangerous
Would Christmas cease to be?

Santa,  said his favorite elf
You'll need to have a mask
So, we've started on designing
It is our major task

Santa said, he'd wear one
If it was what he had to do
I need to keep the children safe
Just, make sure that it's not blue

Another week, more meetings
A mask had been  designed
It covered up his nose and mouth
And it ******* in behind

I can't wear that on Christmas Eve
It will not stay in place
The knots will loosen over time
It'll slide around my face

The letters kept on pouring in
The kids all had to know
Was Santa staying home this year?
Was Christmas a no-go?

Another meeting, one more mask
This looked like Santa's beard
I like it, but, there is no mouth
I think it looks quite weird

Think boys, do your magic
You make toys and are the best
A simple little face mask
Should not put you to the test

Another mask, another fail
Time was getting short
If they could not deliver soon
This Christmas, he'd abort

Another meeting came and went
So Santa said to write
A letter to all magic folk
Maybe they can set this right

Two weeks before the big day
There was a small knock at the door
A fairy stood before him
She looked no more than four

Santa, I can help you
You want a mask you can see through
You do not want to scare the kids
They have to see it's you

Exactly, that is my plan
But, can your mask do all these things
She said, my mask is magic
It's made of fairy wings

She went inside with Santa
She told him fairy wings were tough
They could do all that Santa wanted
And lots of other stuff

The problem with my plan though
Is if I give my wings away
Wherever I am at in time
That is where I'm bound to stay

A sacrifice like that is huge
Do you want to make that choice?
There's no Christmas without Santa
She said in her small voice

You'd have to stay up here with us
A winter fairy you will be
Although you will be wingless
You'll like it here you'll see

She blinked her eyes and wiped her tears
It's what I want to do
I'll give them up to make your mask
And I'll stay up here with you

Santa, too was crying
This was the gift that he would need
He called his elven council
And tasked them with their deed

It took about a week or so
They made the magic gift
Invisible and see through
It gave Santa's heart a lift

The loops to go around his ears
Were as thin as thin could be
The mask, well, it was perfect
And there was nothing you could see

Santa put the mask on
Took a breath, and all was fine
There will surely  be a Christmas
And I love this mask design

The fairy was now wingless
She followed Santa all around
But, you could she see was not happy
She could no longer leave the ground

Santa called another meeting
Now that the mask is done
I have another job boys
And it is an easy one

He told them what he wanted
Gave a time when it was due
I need it to be perfect
Do the magic that you do

The big day came and all was set
The sleigh was set to go
The reindeer were excited
There was fresh, white, Christmas snow

Tonight, I will endeavor
To make this Christmas night the best
I'll deliver all the gifts you made
And I have one here in my vest

He called the fairy forward
He said the joy that Christmas brings
Will go on with no stopping
Because you gave your wings

For you my dear I have a gift
It's made from Christmas snow
A little elven magic,
And at this, the box did glow

She took the box, and opened it
Tears were in her eyes
A perfect pair of fairy wings
Measured perfectly to size

Santa, these are lovely
But, my wings, I gave to you
No dear, these are special
These fairy wings are new

You do not need to stay here
You can fly again and go
I made these to say thank you
You saved Christmas don't you know

I know you know the answer
She stayed there, need you ask
That kids is the story
Of Santa Claus's magic mask

Hunter was happy
The rain was now done
He could go out in the yard
And have some real fun

Staying inside
when there was so much to do
He had to go hunting
For his alphabet zoo

Hunter like letters
And numbers and things
He also likes dreaming
and the joy that it brings

He pulled out his toy box
And he dragged it outside
I'm going to go hunting
He put his hat on with pride

An old hunting helmet
And one wellington boot
A runner, his jacket
And a toy gun to shoot

I'm off to go hunting
I'll will fill a whole zoo
Just call me for dinner
And with that...he was through

A boy's mind is special
They can imagine the world
Is a magical jungle
That to them is unfurled

A zoo from a toy box
All in order....you'll see
He would fill up his zoo
From A back to Z

First came an aardvark
Then a ******, all stuffed
Then a cheetah, a donkey
All cuddly and puffed

E made him think
Yep...an earwig or two
It fit with the letters
And it would go in his zoo

F was a frog,
Made of rubber and green
G ...a gorilla
With a smile, not mean

H was a horse
with a cowboy as well
The zoo, it was growing
And to him, that was swell

I....had him thinking
It's my zoo after all
So, if I can't get a letter
It won't matter at all

J was a jacks game
Not an animal too
But, the jacks looked like spiders
And this was Hunters zoo

K...that was easy
A Kangaroo with a pouch
L was a llama
With three legs and a slouch

M was a monkey
A whole barrel he had
He played with these some
He wasn't doing half bad

In all of an hour
He had collected a herd
Of stuffed toys, ***** and jacks
And he still had no bird

N was a nerf ball
Or a dinosaur egg
It could be what he wanted
He'd now found that fourth leg

The llama assembled
O was easy for him
An octopus floaty
That taught him to swim

P was a parrot
With feathers all red
Q...that's a tough one
He thought to himself in his head

R was a rhino
With no horn, it was broke
S was a snake
His dad bought as a joke

T was a tough one
A terra-dac-til said he
Not knowing the spelling
And that it started with P

U ...under water
so he found a stuffed fish
This was not all that easy
V...well tosh tish

I'll catch two of another
If I can't think of one
Hunting out in the yard
Is really quite fun

W...a walrus
with a moustache and tusks
Like the gorilla before
made of coconut husks

X...was a tough one
Another dinosaur came
Made from his xylophone
And this dino was tame

Y was a yak
He didn't know what it was
But, he just liked the name
So, a yak ....just because

Z was a zebra
blue and black with no white
He'd colored it in with a marker
When he got bored one night

He'd been out for a while
When he heard his mum yell
Time to come in
Bring your toy box as well

All through his dinner
He told of what he had caught
Of the alphabetic adventures
And the creatures he'd got

He watched tv for a while
Then it was bath time and bed
Where Hunter the hunter
Now had a full head

Now, he was dreaming
Of all he must do
This was Hunter the hunter
And his alphabet zoo

Norman Rockwell and Jim Unger
Artists from my past
I've met one but not the other
A memory that  will last

Who the hell is Bertrand Russell?
I asked over a drink
A man who changed the world forever
Changed the way we think

I remember the Norman Rockwell painting
It's burned deep  inside my mind
But, I have got a copy
It's the best one that you'll find

An artist unknown to others
But, a special one to me
My father drew old Russell
It's quite a piece to see

It's never been inside a book
And never will it be
But, Bertrand Russells' wrinkles
Mean a lot to me

Jim Unger and his Herman
Were a favorite of my brother
The artist and his humour
Were unlike any other

We met him at a signing
My brother brought his art
He showed it to Jim Unger
He broke my brother's heart

My brother was an artist
Just like my Dad as well
Their art, not for the public
Their art, was not to sell

Their art should be remembered
Their art should be displayed
Like a vintage guitar  sitting
It's better if it's played

So, now two artists pictures
Hidden for an age
Will be shown, for everybody
On a printed page

I give you first, my brother
Ian Turner was his name
No longer is he with us
But, this will show he came

The second one, my father
John Turner, is his name
His drawing days behind him
But, man did he have game

So, here for your enjoyment
Rockwell via Turner number one
Followed by Ungers' Herman
That was done by Turner's son

Put on your mask
Don't touch your face
Remember to leave
Six feet of space

Look at you now, you're doing the Covid Rag

Get all geared up
Go to the store
Can't find a thing
That you came for

Throw up your hands, you're doing the Covid Rag

You're doing the Covid Rag now
Doing the Covid Rag
Really, it's ****** sad now
We're doing the Covid Rag

Keep people safe
Don't touch too much
Remember you must
Wipe what you touch

Look at you now, you're doing the Covid Rag

Best stay at home
Do not go out
Eat what you want
Till you run out

Throw up your hands, you're doing the Covid Rag

You're doing the Covid Rag now
Doing the Covid Rag
Really, it's ****** sad now
We're doing the Covid Rag

So, Put on your mask
Don't touch your face
Remember to leave
Six feet of space

Look at you now, you're doing the Covid Rag

Throw up your hands, you're doing the Covid Rag
Stay safe at home, doing the Covid Rag
Doing the Covid Rag, Doing the Covid Rag