'Twas the night before Christmas
Beneath Central Park
The only thing moving
Was Mouse in the dark.

The stockings were hung
In their chambers with care
In hopes that the helpers
Soon would be there.

The children were tucked
Nice and warm in their beds
While visions of candy canes
Danced in their heads.

Catherine and I
On the bed where we sat
Were just laying, resting,
A little "cat nap"

When up in the park
I heard a loud sound
I jumped out of bed
With a leap and a bound

Away to the drainage ditch
Faster than light
I tore around corners
Down tunnels that night.

The moon was so bright
On the new fallen snow
Gave illusions of daylight
To objects I know.

When out of the night sky
What should appear?
A miniature sleigh
And eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver
So lively and quick
I thought "Oh my God
There is a St. Nick!"

As fast as greased lightening
Those reindeer they came
He jingled his bells
And he called them by name.

Now Dasher and Dancer
And Prancer and Vixen
On Comet on Cupid
On Donner and Blitzen

To the center of the drainage ditch
Not near the wall
Now dash away dash away...
Oh dash it all!

The sleigh toppled over
And from what I could tell
They were met by an obstacle
The old hidden well

So down from the treetops
These coursers they fumbled
With a sleigh full of toys
And St Nicholas tumbled

And then in a twinkle
I heard from the brush
"Oh stop it, be quiet,
Quit giggling now Hush!"

As I drew in my head
And was turning around
Down the man hole St Nicholas
Came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur
From his head to his toes
And from where he had fallen
A scrape on his nose

A big burlap bag
Was flung over his back
He looked like a burglar
Just opening his sac

His eyes how they twinkled
His dimples how merry
His nose was quite sore
And his derriere, very.

His little elf mouth
Was drawn in like an "O"
His beard was a mess
And all matted with snow.

The stump of a pipe
Still held tight in his teeth
His hat where he sat
Was just underneath.

He had mud on his face
And grass stains on his belly
That shook when he laughed
Like a bowl full of jelly

He was dirty and torn
A right sorry old elf
But I laughed when I saw him
In spite of myself.

With dust in his eyes
And a bump on his head
I soon came to know
I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word
But went straight to his work
And filled all the stockings
And turned with a jerk.

He looked at the manhole
And then back at me
He muttered "Not that way,
Guide me up please"

He sprang to his sleigh
And gave a sharp whistle
But Vixen was pulling
Out fur-balls and thistle

And I heard him exclaim
As he drove out of sight
"Next time call your helpers
That man hole's too tight!"

Darlene
Dec~14~1989