A Christmas Tale

A Christmas Tale

2007

'Twas the night before Christmas, stuffed full of grouse

We hopped in the Dodge to cruise around town and look at the lights on every house;

After the drive, Tallulah was settled, already for bed,

While visions of "noi-men" danced in her head;

And Mandy in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just put Tally down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I raced Tally from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window Mandy flew like a flash,

Tore open the curtains 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 one furry reindeer,

With a grouchy old driver, so lively and fat,

I knew in a moment it must be Cally the Cat.

More rapid than eagles her courser he came,

And she mewed, and meowed, and called him by name;

"Now, Fiber! now, Fiber! now, Fiber and Fib!

On, Fib! on Fib! on, Fiber and Fibzen!

To the top of the couch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away Fib!"

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 old Fiberoo flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and Cally cat too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little paw.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Down the chimney Cally cat came with a bound.

She was dressed all in fur, from her head to her foot,

And her fur was all bla ash colored and soot;

A bundle of toys she had flung on her back,

She spoke not a word, but went straight to her work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And slapped Fib aside with a swat on his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney they rose;

She slumped in her sleigh, to Fib gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

The next moring when Tally awoke,

she noticed the stockings were plump to the poke.

She found by her horse some new Karu KBOOMS.

She tried them out for a ski around the room.

Then it was on to horse,

she rode it, and rode it, and rode it- she loved it, ofcourse!

Ride Tally ride!

She took a break from the horse to open some other presents.

Later at Dad's, donned in formal attire, the routine was similar.

Packages and presents cowered in fear, for they knew in their presence, lurked quite a killer.

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 wasn't quite white as the snow;

But we all heard him exclaim, ere he hobbled of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good New Years!"