King John’s Christmas

Ririro.com - Poetry · Jun 21, 2026 · 4m · transcript

"King John's Christmas" is a narrative poem by A.A. Milne about a lonely, unloved king who has received no Christmas gifts for years and years. Shunned by his subjects and without a single true friend, King John secretly climbs to his rooftop on Christmas Eve to leave a humble, handwritten note for Father Christmas — signed not with his royal name, but simply as "Jack." His one heartfelt wish: a big, red india-rubber ball. The poem moves between melancholy and gentle humour as King John waits through the night, torn between longing and the quiet fear of yet another disappointment.

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