THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS

‘Twas the day before Christmas and throughout our small county, the people were searching for peace and for bounty.

The stores were wide open, their shelves packed with toys, all the best things for good girls and boys.

The merchants were happy, full of humor and good cheer, for the season for buying was at last here.

And the Mayor and Council, with smiles all around, were looking with pride at their small pretty town.

When out on the square there arose such a clatter, I ran to the window to see what was the matter.

Out in the street, near the courthouse of brick, stood a jolly fat man who looked like Saint Nick.

The sun on the back of a new fallen snow, gave a sparkling sheen to the faces we know.

Then what to our curious eyes did arise, the jolly fat  man caught us all by surprise.

With a sudden explosion, I knew in a cinch, this had to be, the mean Christmas Grinch.

More rapid than magic, he turned to the right, his appearance had changed like the darkness at night.

Now listen and hear me, he said with a grin, to all of the people assembled there in.

I'm here to stop laughing and happiness and cheer, for all of you people, no Christmas this year.

With a wave of his hand, and a stomp of his shoe, over the rooftops and courthouse he flew.

By lying and mischief and stealing and greed, I'll stomp out your Christmas, of this you take heed.

Then all of the people, their hearts filled with hate, fled from the Town Square, at a quickening rate.

And the shops and the stores, with their shelves full of cheer, slammed their doors quickly, to all who came near.

As the day ended, for happiness and love, for sharing and giving, set down from above, the people were huddled in fear and in awe, of all the sad faces and things that they saw.

High above town, above people and all, the Grinch smiled with pleasure as he watched the town fall.

Then, what to his ears a sound did he hear, it sounded like music, like laughter, like cheer.

His brows met his eyes and a frown lit his face, someone was happy, Oh what a disgrace.

He sped through the night like a demon aglow, screaming and soaring and melting the snow.

Down through the streets and throughout the small town, the Grinch searched and searched with a leap and a bound.

Into the alleys and byways he went, over houses and churches and trees that were bent.

Down near the churchyard, not too far from here, the Grinch heard the laughter, the music, the cheer.

The children were standing and looking with love, with bright shining faces at something above.

Their laughter was merry, their songs filled the air, of sorrow and sadness, they had little care.

And, as the Grinch bellowed and looked near and far, his eyes went to heaven and he saw a bright star.

From the light which did shine, down from heaven above, he saw the laughter, the music, the joy and the love.

And just past the children, in a manger of hay, he spotted a new baby, all happy and gay.

He stormed to the manger, his face was all red, the pit of his heart was blackened and dead.

When all of a sudden, to his selfish dismay, the darkness was gone, and the night was like day.

The Little Lord Jesus lay down in his bed, a bright crown of roses, sat high on his head.

With a bright shining smile, he looked at the Grinch, whose head began shaking, his nose started to flinch.

With tears in his eyes, sudden love in his chest, the Grinch turned around and yelled to the rest.

It's not the gifts, not the shopping, nor the drinking or cheer, Christmas means simply, that the Christ Child is here.

And then if by magic, and a spirit of new love, the Grinch held out his hands, and he turned to a dove.

He soared above tree tops, the courthouse, the square, his heart full of joy, his mind without care.

The people of our county, returned to their cheer, for Christmas was special, the Christ Child was here.