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‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the forest
Not a creature was stirring, not even an Allosaurus;
The stockings were hung on the conifers with care,
In hopes that SaintNicosaurus soon would be there;
The dinosaurs were all snug in their beds,
While visions of sweet-nuts danced in their heads;
And mamma with some ferns, and dad with some thatch,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap,
When out in the tree tops there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my nest to see what was the matter.
Away to the clearing I flew like a flash,
Tore back the shrubs and kicked up some ash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a sleigh, and eight raptors ready to steer,
With a wise old driver, so lively a dinosaurus,
I knew in a moment it must be SaintNicosaurus.
More rapid than archaeopteryx his coursers they came,
And he shouted, and called them by name;
“Now, Dominic! now, Stephanie! now, Pamela and Dimitri!
On, Christopher! on Raphael! on, Teresa and Angie!
To the top of the of the trees! to the top of the mountain he called!
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 mountain-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and SaintNicosaurus too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the ground
The prancing and clawing with each little pound.
As I drew in my foot, and was turning around,
Down to the clearing SaintNicosaurus came with a bound.
He was covered in feathers, from his head to his foot,
And his scales were spotted with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a traveler just opening his pack.
His eyes — how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his horn bright as a cherry!
His mouth full of teeth was drawn up like a bow,
And his jaw was as white as the snow;
The stem of a peppermint tree he held tight in his teeth,
And holly encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face edged with horns and a bright colored belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was hefty and plump, a jolly old ceratopsian-elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of my ceratopsian-self;
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,
And laying his claws aside the horn on his nose,
And giving a nod, up from the clearing 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, ere he drove out of sight,
“HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!”
I think that was Saintnicosaurus that just flew over. Let’s see if he’s in the front yard!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
“May the Wonder of Season be Yours!”
“Encouraging the Appreciation of Art and Education through the Inspiration of Dinosaurs”
Paul & Prehistoric Pals
Your feedback is appreciated, Thank you!
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