So, It's Christmas Eve

Hey, y'all! So, it's Christmas Eve and I haven't posted in a bit. I decided to post a couple of Christmas poems here for you. One is the original version of A Visit from St. Nicholas. The other is a darker, goth version of the same poem. I love both and can't choose which one I love more. I think they're about even. Anyway, enjoy the poems, and have a very Merry Christmas! See ya next year!!!

For those of us who don't mind a bit of tradition on Christmas Eve:

“​The Night Before Christmas”

‘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 sugarplums danced in their heads. And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap, had just settled our brains for a long winter 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 a 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 courses 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, Donner 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 tarnished 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 bowl full 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. 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, as he drove out of sight…

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Goth Version!!! (No, I did not write this!)

The Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through our house

was blasting the "St. Vitus Dance" by Bauhaus;

Torn fishnets were draped on my forearms with care,

And two cans of Aquanet applied to my hair;

My thoughts were of graveyards, and horror and dread,

Black visions of pain and despair in my head;

And Bianca, whose face was as pale as the moon,

Had thrown up her arm for this evening's swoon,

When out by the gravestones there came such a clatter,

I sprang from the coffin to find out the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a ghost,

Expecting to find a dark devilish host.

The moon on the breast of the uncaring snow

Threw ominous shadows on objects below,

When, before my tormented eyes did traverse,

But a gorgeous black Crane & Breed carved-panel hearse,

With a gaunt, shrouded driver, who filled me with fear,

And eight skeletal creatures that might have been deer.

More rapid than vultures his coursers they came,

And his deep Andrew Eldritch voice called them by name;

Now, Murphy! Now, Morgoth! Now, Torment and Woe!

On, Dreadful! On, Lovecraft! Mephisto and Poe!

To the top of the gravestones where fog wisps its breath!

With a weight on my soul I consign you to death!

As dead leaves that before hellish hurricanes fly,

When they flutter like giant bats' wings to the sky,

So up to the crypt-top the coursers they leapt,

While dearest Bianca, like death, still but slept.

And then, to my horror, I heard on the roof

The clicking and scratching of each bone-white hoof.

As I drew in my arm, and was whirling around,

Down the ebony chimney he came without sound.

He was clad all in black, and he looked oh-so-goth,

A billowy ensemble of crushed velvet cloth;

His boots were knee-high, quite buckled and zipped,

And the Spandex and fishnets 'round his legs were ripped.

His eyes glowed with bluish fire, deathly and cold,

A black eye-liner'd face neither youthful nor old.

A broad lipless mouth drawn with torment and hurt,

And his sorrowful face was as white as my shirt.

A smoldering cigarette tight in his grasp,

Its smoke curling eerily 'round his cloak clasp;

His gaunt frame was topped with long ebon hair,

And a sharp scent of brimstone and cloves choked the air.

His arms were outspread in the shape of a cross,

And I quailed when I saw him, feeling sorrow and loss;

He narrowed his eyes with a twist of his head,

And I felt the full weight of his angst and dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his task,

Left some Dead Can Dance CD's; before I could ask,

A single tear fell across his aquiline nose,

And then, like an angel, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his hearse, to his team he then hissed,

And away they all drifted like early dawn's mist.

But I heard him intone, ere he vanished from sight,

"Gothic Christmas to all, and to all a good fright!"

Merry Christmas! I hope your holiday RAWKS!!!