Twas' The Night Before Christmas

 

                     "A Visit  from St. Nicholas"
                 By Clement C . Moore
"Twas the night before Christmas  , when all through the  house  Not a creature was stirring ; Not even a mouse 
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care  , in hope that St. Nicholas  soon would be there
The  children was nestled all smug in their beds  , while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads  
And Mama 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 up 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 a lustre  of midday  to objects below ;
When what to my wondering eyes  should appear
But a miniature 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 coursers  they came
And he whistled and shouted  , and call them by name
"Now, Dasher ! Now, Dancer ! Now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet ! On, Cupid ! On, Donder 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  before the wild hurricane fly
When  they meet with an obstacle , mount to the sky
So up to the house-top  the coursers 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
He looked like a pedlar  just  opening his sack
His eyes , how they twinkled  ! His dimples  , how merry !
His cheeks was like  roses  , his nose like a cherry
His droll little mouth  was drawn up like a bow
And the beard  on his chin  was as white as snow 
The stump of his pipe  he held tight  in his teeth
And the smoke  it encircled  his head like a wreath
He had a broad face  and a round little 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 myself
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 work 
And fill all the stockings  ; then turn 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 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."
Merry Christmas  everyone ... Maxy ... 'The Genie' ... Witchy