'Twas the Night Before O Gauge
Dec 20, 2023 15:41:57 GMT
Country Joe, dennym57, and 3 more like this
Post by atsda on Dec 20, 2023 15:41:57 GMT
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas is celebrating its 201st anniversary, having been written in 1822 by Clement Clarke Moore. I have re-written parts for your enjoyment and use. If you make changes to improve it (which are welcome), don’t expect to share royalties. Alfred
'Twas the night before O Gauge, when all through the station
Not a creature was stirring, not even a fireman;
The baggage was placed on the platform with care,
In hopes that the porter would soon be there;
The passengers were seated, all dressed in their best;
While visions of the dining car danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my steamer cab,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's trip,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my cab to see what was the matter.
Away to the ticket 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 lustre of midday to the three-rail tracks below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But eight O Gauge Pullmans and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old engineer so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he blew the whistle, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Atlas! now, Bachman! now Flyer and K-Line!
On, Marx! on, MTH! on, Weaver, and Williams!
To the top of the platform! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
(Lionel, the reindeer with the red nose, was vacationing in Florida.)
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the station top the coursers they flew
With the tender full of coal , and water 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 the engineer came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with cinders and soot;
A bundle of OGF cars 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 from his lantern, 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 baggage ; 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 North Pole Express , to his team blew the 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!"
Have a Joyous Christmas and Healthy and Peaceful New Year. Alfred
'Twas the night before O Gauge, when all through the station
Not a creature was stirring, not even a fireman;
The baggage was placed on the platform with care,
In hopes that the porter would soon be there;
The passengers were seated, all dressed in their best;
While visions of the dining car danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my steamer cab,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's trip,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my cab to see what was the matter.
Away to the ticket 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 lustre of midday to the three-rail tracks below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But eight O Gauge Pullmans and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old engineer so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he blew the whistle, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Atlas! now, Bachman! now Flyer and K-Line!
On, Marx! on, MTH! on, Weaver, and Williams!
To the top of the platform! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
(Lionel, the reindeer with the red nose, was vacationing in Florida.)
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the station top the coursers they flew
With the tender full of coal , and water 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 the engineer came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with cinders and soot;
A bundle of OGF cars 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 from his lantern, 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 baggage ; 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 North Pole Express , to his team blew the 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!"
Have a Joyous Christmas and Healthy and Peaceful New Year. Alfred
