candy cane
'Twas The Night Before Christmas - Dalmatian Style

   
 '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