To meddle & change it is my endeavor.
I hope that you'll not think me the fool,
for I'm just wishing you a happy Yule.
Merry Christmas 2016
Bill Russo
Cape Cod, USA
The
Night Before Christmas and the Night After Christmas
For
today’s holiday story, here’s something old and something new. The ancient
verse was written in 1823 and is one of the most famous poems in the world.
Though
some people doubt that it was Clement Moore who wrote “Twas the night before
Christmas”; there seem to be no other claimants to the piece, so I think it’s
proper we say that he is indeed the writer.
As
to who wrote the ‘Night After Christmas’, I don’t think anybody did. It just grew from a few people playing a
variation on the theme. I had the
pleasure of writing a few of the lines and I hope you might get a chuckle from
reading them.
So,
for what it’s worth - here’s both:
The
Night Before Christmas
and The Night After Christmas:
‘Twas
the night before Christmas, and all through the house, Not a creature was
stirring, not even a mouse. The
stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In the hope 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 the 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 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
called them by name—
“Now,
Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer! Now, Vixen!
On,
Comet! On, Cupid! On, Dunder and Blixen!
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 tiny
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 pedlar 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 in a bow, And
the beard on 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 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 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,
“Merry
Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”
The Night After Christmas:
‘Twas
the night after Christmas, and all through the house Not a creature was
stirring—except for a mouse. The
stockings were flung in haste over the chair, For good old St. Nicholas had
been here, and gone elsewhere. The
children were restlessly tossing in bed, for the pie and the candy were heavy
as lead;
For an 'all nighter', binge watch on Netflix:
Mamma
and I had, Chinese and chopsticks,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I
sprang from my chair to see what was the matter. Away to the window I went with a dash, Flung
open the shutter, and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, Gave the lustre of
noon-day to objects below.
When
what to my anxious eyes should appear but
a Lexus, and a chauffeur saying the doctor is here!
The
little old driver, the doctor did jettison,
I knew that he brought us some
medicine.
I
drew in my head, and was turning around, when upstairs came the Doctor, with
scarcely a sound, He wore a thick overcoat, made long ago, And the beard on his
chin was white as the snow. He spoke a
few words, and went straight to his work;
He
felt all the pulses,--then turned with a jerk,
And
laying his finger aside of his nose, With a nod of his head, he did propose:--
“a spoonful of the meds will make everyone feel dandy.
But
no more food! No nuts, no raisins, no pies and no candy.
These
tender young stomachs cannot those well digest
All
the sweets that they get; toys and books are the best.
But
I know my advice will not find many friends,
For the days of Christmas the other way
tends.
The
fathers and mothers, and Santa Claus, too,
Are indeed overfed. Here’s something for you!”
If
your tummies get queasier,
take this milk of magnesia.
Then,
I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight:
These
feastings and candies make Doctors’ bills just right!”
The End
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