Edgar Albert Guest - Signs

It's 'be a good boy, Willie,'
And it's 'run away and play,
For Santa Claus is coming
With his reindeer and his sleigh.'
It's 'mind what mother tells you,
And it's 'put away your toys,
For Santa Claus is coming
To the good girls and the boys.'
Ho, Santa Claus is coming, there is Christmas in the air,
And little girls and little boys are good now everywhere.

World-wide the little fellows
Now are sweetly saying 'please,'
And 'thank you,' and 'excuse me,
And those little pleasantries
That good children are supposed to
When there's company to hear;
And it's just as plain as can be
That the Christmas time is near.
Ho, it's just as plain as can be that old Santa's on his way,
For there are no little children that are really bad to-day.

And when evening shadows lengthen,
Every little curly head
Now is ready, aye, and willing
To be tucked away in bed;
Not one begs to stay up longer,
Not one even sheds a tear;
Ho, the goodness of the children
Is a sign that Santa's near.
It's wonderful, the goodness of the little tots to-day,
When they know that good old Santa has begun to pack his sleigh.

Edgar Albert Guest

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/signs-36/