Twas the Night Before

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through Roberts’ Creek

Not a creature was stirring, ‘cept a self-employed geek;

The puppies lurked close, as close as they dared,

With hopes their Aunt Jody, her bed she would share;

Kenton was nestled all snug in his bed,

While visions of chicken wings danced in his head;

And Tzaddi, her digits, typing madly away,

Tried to catch up on work, so she could soon play;

When out in the yard there arose such a clatter,

Maggie and Jack sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Growling, to the door they flew at high dash,

Barking and yowling, teeth liking to gnash.

The Creek with it’s blanket of new-fallen snow

Told stories in animals’ tracks to and fro.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a wee tabby kitty so tiny and dear.

As quick as a wink, so lively and coy,

I knew in a moment it must be Leroy.

As Tzod’s fingers flew, she 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 page! to the top of the cell!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”

Code was entered in a dizzying frenzy,

Striving to meet her deadline’s end-sy,

So ’round over the web page the curser, it flew,

Her brain full of code, and toodle-dee-doo.

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

The stomping of footfalls that were revealing,

Kenton was awake, and was puttering around,

Down the stairs Kenton came with a bound.

A package of pork he had clutched in his fist,

And announced that hamburgers were the supper-time dish.

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 not only that, he can drive in the snow;

He spoke not another word, but went straight to his work,

And filled the ground pork with spices, ginger and jerk,

He layed yams side by side in some rows,

And giving a nod, he turned up the stove;

He sprang to the bar, mixing drinks to wet whistles,

And away our cares flew like the down of a thistle.

And we exclaimed, as we took our first bite,

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”