DECEMBER POETRY
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A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS
BUNDLES
GIVE ME HOLLY
POLAR-BEAR PINES
CHRISTMAS

 

 

A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS

Clement Clarke Moore
 
'Twas 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 my 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 luster 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 and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder 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 housetop 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 covered 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 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 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."
 
 

 

BUNDLES

John Farrar
 
A bundle is a funny thing,
It alwayse sets me wondering;
For whether it is thin or wide
You never know just what's inside.
 
Especially on Christmas week,
Temptation is so great to peek!
Now wouldn't it be much more fun
If shoppers carried things undone?
 
 

 

GIVE ME HOLLY

Christina Geogina Rossetti
 
But give me holly, bold and joly,
Honest, prickly, shining holly;
Pluck me holly leaf and berry
For the day when I make merry
 
 
 
 
POLAR-BEAR PINES
 
Oh, every pine is a polar-bear zoo
when the fluffity, puffity storm is through,
for every branch holds a bear or two
when the fluffity storm is through.
 
Maybe-bears,
play-be-bears,
big and small and baby bears!
 
Slumpy bears,
dumpy bears,
never cross-and-grumpy bears!
 
Oh, every pine is a polar-bear zoo
when the rollicky, frolicky storm is through.
 
 

CHRISTMAS

(Mother Goose)
 
Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat,
Please to put a penny in an old man's hat;
If you haven't got a penny a half penny will do,
If you haven't got a half penny,
God bless you.