 'Twas the night before Christmas And all through the crates Not a Dalmatian was stirring Not even for bait. The puppies were nestled All snug in their beds While visions of biscuits Danced in their heads The stockings were hung By the fireplace of stone In hopes they'd be filled With rawhide and bones Ma in her nightshirt And I in my robe Had just settled down By the ol' woodstove When out on the lawn There arose such a commotion I sprang from my chair To see why the dogs weren't in motion Away to the window I ran like a deer Tore open the shade To see who was here The moon on the top Of the new fallen snow Gave the luster of doghair To the ground below. And what do I see To my started exclamation But a miniature sleigh And eight spotted dalmatians. With a little 'ole handler So poised and so sure I knew in a moment 'Twould not be a bore More rapid than beagles His charges they came And he whistled and shouted And called them by name Now Austin, now Blackjack Now Chips and Josh P On Morris and Fancy On Lace and Indy To the top of the doghouse To the top of the wall Now dash away, dash away Dash away all As the dry leaves that before A running Dalmatian fly Meet with an obstacle Mount to the sky So up to the housetop The coursers they flew With a sleigh full of choo-hooves And St, Nicholas too. And then in an instant I heard on the roof The scratching and digging Of each spotted foot. 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 But had not a care For his clothes were all covered With black and white hair. A bundle of toys He had flung on his back And he looked like a groomer Just opening his pack. His eyes how they twinkled His dimples how merry His cheeks were like roses His nose like a cherry, His small little mouth Smile to greet all his pals And the beard on his chin Was as white as the dals. He had a broad little face And a round little tummy That wriggled when he laughed Like the tail of a puppy. He was chubby and plump A right jolly old boy The dogs barked when they saw him Their eyes on the toys. A wink of his eye And a twist of his head Soon told the dogs They 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 with a pat to each Spotted dog's nose 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. And I heard him exclaim As he drove out of sight "Happy showing to all And to all a good night."  © Karen Darling 1993 |
Thanks For Visiting
