TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS , WHEN ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE
NOT A CREATRURE WAS STIRRING NOT EVEN A MOUSE.
THE STOCKINGS WERE HUNG BY THE CHIMNEY WITH CARE
IN HOPES THAT ST. NICHOLAS SOON WOULD BE THERE.
THE CHILDREN WERE NESTLED ALL SNUG IN THEIR BEDS
WHILE VISIONS OF SUGAR-PLUMS DANCED IN THEIR HEADS.
AND MAMMA IN HER ' KERCHIEF, AND I IN MY CAP,
HAD JUST SETTLED OUR BRAINS FOR A LONG WINTER'S NAP.
WHEN OUT ON THE LAWN THERE AROSE SUCH A CLATTER ,
I SPRANG FROM MY BED TO SEE WHAT WAS THE MATTER .
AWAY TO THE WINDOW I FLEW LIKE A FLASH ,
TORE OPEN THE SHUTTERS AND THREW UP THE SASH .
THE MOON ON THE BREAST OF THE NEW FALLEN SNOW
GAVE THE LUSTRE OF MID-DAY TO OBJECTS BELOW .
WHEN , WHAT TO MY WONDERING EYES SHOULD APPEAR ,
BUT A MINATURE SLEIGH AND EIGHT TINY REINDEER .
WITH A LITTLE OLD DRIVER , SO LIVELY AND QUICK
I KNEW IN A MOMENT IT MUST BE ST . NICK .
MORE RAPID THAN EAGLES HIS CURSES THEY CAME ,
AND HE WHISTLED , AND SHOUTED , AND CALLED THEM BY NAME !
" NOW DASHER ! NOW DANCER ! NOW PRANCER ! AND VIXEN !
ON , COMET ! ON , CUPID ! ON , ON DONNER AND BLITZEN !
TO THE TOP OF THE PORCH ! TO THE TOP OF THE WALL ,
NOW DASH AWAY ! DASH AWAY ! DASH AWAY ALL ! "
AS DRY LEAVES THAT BEFORE THE WILD HURRICANE FLY ,
WHEN THEY MEET WITH AN OBSTACLE , MOUNT TO THE SKY .
SO UP TO THE HOUSE - TOP THE COURSER THEY FLEW ,
WITH THE SLEIGH FULL OF TOYS , AND ST . NICHOLAS TOO .
AND THEN , IN A TWINKLING , I HEARD ON THE ROOF
THE PRANCING AND PAWING OF EACH LITTLE HOOF .
AS I DREW IN MY HEAD , AND WAS TURNING AROUND ,
DOWN THE CHIMNEY ST. NICHOLAS CAME WITH A BOUND .
HE WAS DRESSED ALL IN FUR , FROM HIS HEAD TO HIS FOOT ,
AND HIS CLOTHES WERE ALL TARNISHED WITH ASHES AND SOOT .
A BUNDLE OF TOYS HE HAD FLUNG ON HIS BACK ,
AND HE LOOKED LIKE A PEDDLER , JUST OPENING HIS PACK .
HIS EYES HOW THEY TWINKLED ! HIS DIMPLES HOW MERRY !
HIS CHEEKS WERE LIKE ROSES , HIS NOSE LIKE A CHERRY !
HIS DROLL LITTLE MOUTH WAS DRAWN UP LIKE A BOW
AND THE BEARD OF HIS CHIN WAS AS WHITE AS THE SNOW .
THE STUMP OF A PIPE HE HELD TIGHT IN HIS TEETH ,
AND THE SMOKE IT ENCIRCLED HIS HEAD LIKE A WREATH .
HE HAD A BROAD FACE AND A LITTLE ROUND BELLY ,
THAT SHOOK WHEN HE LAUGHED , LIKE A BOWL FULL OF JELLY !
HE WAS CHUBBY AND PLUMP , A RIGHT JOLLY OLD ELF ,
AND I LAUGHED WHEN I SAW HIM , IN SPITE OF MY SELF !
A WINK OF HIS EYE AND A TWIST OF HIS HEAD ,
SOON GAVE ME TO KNOW I HAD NOTHING TO DREAD .
HE SPOKE NOT A WORD , BUT WENT STRAIGHT TO HIS WORK ,
AND FILLED ALL THE STOCKINGS , THEN TURNED WITH A JERK .
AND LAYING HIS FINGER ASIDE OF HIS NOSE ,
AND GIVING A NOD , UP THE CHIMNEY HE ROSE !
HE SPRANG TO HIS SLEIGH , TO HIS TEAM GAVE A WHISTLE ,
AND AWAY THEY ALL FLEW LIKE THE DOWN OF A THISTLE .
BUT I HEARD HIM EXCLAIM , 'ERE HE DROVE OUT OF SIGHT ,
' HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL , AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT ! '
THE POEM , 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS [ A VISIT FROM ST . NICK ]
BY CLEMENT CLARKE MOORE [ 1779- 1863 ] FIRST PUBLISHED DECEMBER 23 RD 1823
CLAIMED IT ON 1844 FOR HIS OWN.........
...AND YOU ALL THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DO ALITTLE 'GRINCH SATIRE ' ON IT ...OR MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE THIS ......
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS , AND ALL THRU THE PAD
NOT A CREATURE WAS STIRRING , AND WELL , THAT AIN'T SO BAD.
THE STOCKINGS WERE HUNG BY THE CHIMNEY WITH CARE ,
IN HOPES THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULDN'T TAKE IT'S SHARE .
THE CHILDREN WERE ON THEIR COMPUTERS , ENOUGH SAID !
WITH MORE VISIONS OF IPADS , IPHONES , AND XBOXES DANCED IN THEIR HEADS .
THE 'OL LADY IN HER NIGHTY , AND I'M AT HALF MASTED ,
HAD JUST SETTLED OUR DIFFERENCES TO WHO'S TO TAKE THE LAST BLAST !
WHEN OUT ON THE LAWN , I THOUGHT I CAME WITH A SHUTTER ,
IT WAS JUST MY NEIGHBORS AND NO UTTERS.
AWAY FROM THE WINDOW I FLEW AS I FLASHED ,
TORE AWAY THE BED SHEETS , I THEN I JUST GASPED.
THE MOON SHOWN ON HER BREASTS LIKE THE NEW FALLEN SNOW ,
GAVE THE LUSTRE OF GREATNESS TO THE OBJECTS BELOW.
WHEN WHAT TO MY WONDERING EYES SHOULD APPEAR ,
BUT A MINIATURE SLEIGH , AND EIGHT REPUBLICAN QUEERS.
WITH A LITTLE OLD DRIVER [ IF YA KINOW WHAT I MEAN ]
I KNEW IN A MOMENT IT MUST BE OBSENE !
MORE RAPID THAN EAGLETON HIS CORSETS THEY CAME ,
AND HE WHISTLED , AND WHISTLED , THEN CALLED THEM BY NAME !
' NOW BACHMANN AND PHALIN , NOW COME ON ROMNEY AND PERRY !
COME ON STUPID OR GINGRICH OR HUNTSMAN OR WAS IT PAUL ?
TO THE TOP OF THE POLLS TO THE TOP OF THE CONGRESS HALLS ,
NOW DASH AWAY , DASH AWAY , BEFORE LAST CALL !
THEY DON'T DARE SAY A WORD , BUT WENT STRAIGHT......
AND FILLED ALL THEIR POCKETS WITH PLENTY OF CASH ,
AND AWAY THEY ALL FLEW FLEW AND LEFT BEHIND THE TRASH.
BUT I HEARD THEM EXCLAIM AS THEY WERE WELL OUT OF SIGHT :
" HAPPY NEW YEAR TO US , BECAUSE TO US IT'S ALRIGHT..!!
......SORRY...I HOPE YOU ALL STILL HAVE AGREAT CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR !!
TO THE TOP OF THE PORCH ! TO THE TOP OF THE WALL ,
