A Visit from St. Nicholas

A Visit from St. Nicholas(ˈnik(ə)ləs)

By Clement(ˈklemənt) Clarke(klärk) Moore(mo͝or)

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring(ˈstəriNG), not even a mouse;
The stockings(ˈstäkiNG) were hung(həNG) by the chimney(ˈCHimnē) with care(ke(ə)r),
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled(ˈnesəl) all snug(snəg) in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums(pləm) danced in their heads;
And mamma(ˈmamə) in her ‘kerchief(-ˌCHēf,ˈkərCHəf), and I in my cap,
Had just settled(ˈsedl) our brains(brān) for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn(lôn) there arose(əˈrōz) such a clatter(ˈkladər),
I sprang(spraNG) from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew(flo͞o) like a flash(flaSH),
Tore(tôr) open the shutters(ˈSHədər) and threw(THro͞o) up the sash(saSH).
The moon on the breast(brest) of the new-fallen(ˈfôlən) snow,
Gave(ɡāv) a lustre(ˈləstər) of midday(ˈmidˈdā) to objects below(bəˈlō),
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature(-ˌCHo͝or,ˈmin(ē)əCHər) sleigh(slā) and eight tiny(ˈtīnē) rein(rān)-deer,
With a little old driver so lively(ˈlīvlē) and quick,
I knew(n(y)o͞o) in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid(ˈrapid) than eagles(ˈēgəl) his coursers(ˈkôrsər) they came,
And he whistled(ˈ(h)wisəl), and shouted, and called them by name:
“Now, Dasher(ˈdaSHər)! now, Dancer! now Prancer(prans) and Vixen(ˈviksən)!
On, Comet(ˈkämət)! on, Cupid(ˈkyo͞opəd)! on, Donner(ˈdänər) and Blitzen(blits)!
To the top of the porch(pôrCH)! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As leaves that before the wild(wīld) hurricane(ˈhəriˌkān) fly,
When they meet with an obstacle(ˈäbstəkəl), mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh(slā) full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—
And then, in a twinkling(ˈtwiNGkəl), I heard(hərd) on the roof
The prancing(prans) and pawing(pô) of each little hoof(ho͝of,ho͞of).
As I drew in my head, and was turning(ˈtərniNG) around,
Down the chimney(ˈCHimnē) St. Nicholas came with a bound(bound).
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https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/43171