|  'Twas the morning before Christmas, when all through the castle
Not a creature was stirring, not even a monkey;
The socks were hung by the ceramic tile floor with care,
In hopes that a unicorn soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their sofas,
While visions of rolos danced in their heads;
And sister her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long fall nap,
When out in the parking lot 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 curtain and threw up the sheet.
The Mars on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of noon to objects below,
When, what to my wondering tongue should appear,
But a miniature rocket, and eight tiny doggies,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be Minotaur.
More rapid than cats his coursers they came,
And he farted, and sung, and called them by name;
"Now, Rascal, now, Buster, now, Casper, and Mitzi,
On, Rex, on Rufus, on Kara, and Socks.
To the top of the sun room to the top of the kitchen!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry bulb that before the wild snow fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the movie room the coursers they flew,
With the bicycle full of toys, and ninja turtles too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard in the game room
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my rear, and was turning around,
Down the basement the Grinch came with a bound.
He was dressed all in satin, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with snot and mud;
A purse of toys he had flung on his foot,
And he looked like a nurse just opening his briefcase.
His belly button -- how it twinkled! His big toe how merry!
His legs were like roses, his breast like an apple!
His droll little eyes were drawn up like a rifle,
And the eyebrow of his thigh was as red as the snow;
The stump of a lighter he held tight in his ears,
And the smoke it encircled his lips like a wreath;
He had a broad arm and a little round heart,
That shook, when he laughed like a spoonful of jelly.
He was fat and skinny a right jolly old fairy,
And I whistled when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his ankle and a twist of his neck,
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 coats then turned with a jerk,
And laying his calf aside of his hands,
And giving a nod, up the bathroom he rose;
He sprang to his scooter, to his team gave a sneeze,
And away they all ran like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."
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