Twas the night before Christmas, and all thru the cabin
Not a critter was stirrin, or woofin or waggin
Dog booties were hung by the wood stove with care
In hopes that Saint Nicolas soon would be there.
...The dogs were all nestled, all snug in their dens
While visions of moose legs, danced in their heads!
And I in my fur blanket and dad with fleece cap
Had just settled down, to take us a nap.
When out in the woods there arose such a sound
That we sprang for the guns, must see what to hunt down!
Threw off the fur blankets and off to the deck
Just hurrying to see and wondering, what the heck?
Northern lights on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave a luster of mid-day to objects below.
When what to our skeptical eyes did we see
But a dogsled and musher with eight panting huskies.
With a grizzled old musher, so lively and quick
I knew in a moment it MUST be Saint Nick!
More rapid than eagles the huskies they came
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
Now Sitka! Now Eagle! Now Willow & Rohn!
On Kodiak! On Bethel! On Prudhoe and Nome!
To the top of the cabin, to the top of the wall!
Now mush away, mush away! Mush away all!
As snow flies before the Alaskan winter winds
When theyre blown to and fro, they mount to the sky
So up to the cabin-tops the huskies they flew
With a sled full of gifts, and Saint Nicolas too!
And then, in an instant I heard something claw
The dancing and prancing of each husky paw
As I drew in my head, and was turning around
Down the fire escape Saint Nick came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur from his hat to his boots
And his clothes were all soiled with pine tar and soot
He leaned oer the dogsled and looked in his pack
Pulled out some dry kindling and a cast iron wood rack
His eyes, know-how in them! His dimples, how wizened!
His cheeks were quite wind burnt, his nose like a cherry!
His wide little mouth was drawn up in a smile,
And the beard on his chin has been growing awhile!
The chew in his mouth he held tight in his cheek
And the steam from his breath circled his head like a wreath
He had frostbit his nose, his fingers and toes
But he smiled thru it all, after all its how it goes!
He was wiry and thin, as a musher should be
And I wondered someday if this could be me!
A wink of his eye and a nod of his head
Let me know that I would never have anything to dread.
He spoke not a word, and went straight to his job
Filled all the pups dishes, before they became a mob!
Laid new harnesses and collars under the tree
New fur hats and mittens for you and for me.
He jumped on his sled, to his team yelled HIKE! HIKE!
And away went the huskies, pulling with all might
And I heard him yell back to the kennel of our pups
Merry Christmas to all, and to all keep your dreams!
2011 - Bonnie J. Brummett
Not a critter was stirrin, or woofin or waggin
Dog booties were hung by the wood stove with care
In hopes that Saint Nicolas soon would be there.
...The dogs were all nestled, all snug in their dens
While visions of moose legs, danced in their heads!
And I in my fur blanket and dad with fleece cap
Had just settled down, to take us a nap.
When out in the woods there arose such a sound
That we sprang for the guns, must see what to hunt down!
Threw off the fur blankets and off to the deck
Just hurrying to see and wondering, what the heck?
Northern lights on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave a luster of mid-day to objects below.
When what to our skeptical eyes did we see
But a dogsled and musher with eight panting huskies.
With a grizzled old musher, so lively and quick
I knew in a moment it MUST be Saint Nick!
More rapid than eagles the huskies they came
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
Now Sitka! Now Eagle! Now Willow & Rohn!
On Kodiak! On Bethel! On Prudhoe and Nome!
To the top of the cabin, to the top of the wall!
Now mush away, mush away! Mush away all!
As snow flies before the Alaskan winter winds
When theyre blown to and fro, they mount to the sky
So up to the cabin-tops the huskies they flew
With a sled full of gifts, and Saint Nicolas too!
And then, in an instant I heard something claw
The dancing and prancing of each husky paw
As I drew in my head, and was turning around
Down the fire escape Saint Nick came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur from his hat to his boots
And his clothes were all soiled with pine tar and soot
He leaned oer the dogsled and looked in his pack
Pulled out some dry kindling and a cast iron wood rack
His eyes, know-how in them! His dimples, how wizened!
His cheeks were quite wind burnt, his nose like a cherry!
His wide little mouth was drawn up in a smile,
And the beard on his chin has been growing awhile!
The chew in his mouth he held tight in his cheek
And the steam from his breath circled his head like a wreath
He had frostbit his nose, his fingers and toes
But he smiled thru it all, after all its how it goes!
He was wiry and thin, as a musher should be
And I wondered someday if this could be me!
A wink of his eye and a nod of his head
Let me know that I would never have anything to dread.
He spoke not a word, and went straight to his job
Filled all the pups dishes, before they became a mob!
Laid new harnesses and collars under the tree
New fur hats and mittens for you and for me.
He jumped on his sled, to his team yelled HIKE! HIKE!
And away went the huskies, pulling with all might
And I heard him yell back to the kennel of our pups
Merry Christmas to all, and to all keep your dreams!
