Parrothead Holiday Tale: ‘Twas the Night Before Landfall

A Parrothead Holiday Tale: ‘Twas the Night Before Landfall

‘Twas the night before Landfall, and all through the sand,
Not a parrot was stirring; all was quiet and grand.
The flip-flops were hung by the tiki with care,
In hopes that St. Buffett soon would be there.

The Parrotheads nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of boat drinks danced in their heads.
With Hawaiian shirts on and grass skirts in tow,
We settled down dreaming of sunshine’s warm glow.

When out on the beach there arose such a tune,
A steel drum melody under the moon.
Away to the shoreline we ran in a hurry,
Past coconuts, beach balls, fresh lime, and rum slurry.

The moon on the waves and the salty sea air
Gave a magical glow to paradise there.
When, what to our blurry eyes should appear,
But a conch-shell sleigh and eight dolphins so near.

With a jolly old driver, so lively and fit,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Buffett.
More rapid than trade winds, the dolphins they came,
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name:

“Now, Mango! Now, Marley! Now, Captain and Lime!
On, Coconut! On, Coral! On, Sunny and Thyme!
To the top of the palm trees, to the edge of the bay,
Dash away, splash away, in a festive display!”

With a cooler of drinks and a sack full of cheer,
St. Buffett brought tidings to Parrotheads near.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the sand
The strumming of six strings from Buffett’s own hand.

Dressed in bright tropical prints, from his head to his toes,
He looked like a beach bum in colorful clothes.
A bundle of treasures he had flung on his back,
From tiki mugs to flip-flops, each pulled from his pack.

His eyes—how they twinkled, his sunburn how merry!
His nose like a pineapple, his cheeks like a cherry.
He strummed his guitar with a laid-back flow,
A hibiscus lei draped in a vibrant show.

With a wink and a grin, he pulled up a chair,
And raised up his glass to the salt-laden air.
He sang “Margaritaville,” “Cheeseburger,” and more,
As Parrotheads gathered along the shore.

But I heard him exclaim as he soared out of sight,
“Happy Holi-daze to all, and to all a beach night!” 🌴🍹