Friday, December 24, 2010

A Visit from St Nicholas

A Visit from St Nicholas.
by Clement C. Moore.



'T
was 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 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 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 mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny 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 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 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,
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 bowlful 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 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.

 

8 comments:

Matt Grimmitt said...

Merry Christmas Meredith, hope you have a good one and a happy 2011.
Cheers.

Judy Shreve said...

Merry Christmas to you and your family - hope jolly ole St.. Nick is good to you all!

Gary's third pottery blog said...

:) rock ON Meredith

Acácia Azevedo Studio Pottery said...

May this season brings love,peace and endurance to your family and love ones! Merry Christmas!

Tracey Broome said...

I used to read this story to Wesley every year, and last year after she went to bed, I went and crawled in bed with her and read it for the first time since she was little. It was so fun, we both got a great laugh. I have a beautifully illustrated Night Before Christmas book.

Anonymous said...

merry merry merrydith, i excerpted a little know line from that poem today myself. lovely pots in the previous post, looking forward to some down time

Laurie said...

I heard Bob Dylan's recitation of this tonight, on the way home from Joseph's family's Christmas! Merry Christmas, Meredith & Mark!

ang design said...

merry christmas!!