A/N This little poem is a Christmas gift for brenna-louise. She has kindly allowed me to share it with you all. Enjoy!
The Night Before Christmas (with apologies to Clement Clarke Moore)
The night before Christmas and all through the Abbey,
The footmen were tired; the butler was crabby.
The hall boys were haggard; the valets were nervous,
Lamenting the work of a life lived in service.
The housekeeper scolded the housemaids severely;
The ladies' maids suffered her wrath all too dearly.
The cook had the kitchen maids cringing in terror,
Lambasting them for the most miniscule error.
The footmen were grumbling, the housemaids were glaring;
Their patience was thinning, and tempers were flaring.
The housekeeper, butler, and cook fairly ranted.
The silver not polished … the wine not decanted …
The rooms all a shambles … the food a disaster …
But try as they might, they just couldn't work faster.
The work wasn't finished; the house wasn't ready
For Christmas tomorrow, and things were unsteady.
But just in the face of such heightened emotion,
Outside in the courtyard, they heard a commotion.
The bells on the bell board began loudly ringing,
And out in the yard, they could hear joyful singing.
The back door flew open, and in came of flurry
Of tiny elves bustling about in a hurry.
And following close on their heels strode their master,
Who shouted out orders and spurred them on faster.
"Now, Trixie! Now, Josie! Now, Peter and Harry!
On, Lizzie! On, Sally! On, Freddie and Larry!
To bedrooms and cupboards! To stairways and hallways!
To kitchen and cellar! But swiftly, as always!
Now dash away, dash away! Quick! In a jiffy!
Let's get this place looking all sparkly and spiffy!
Start peeling and chopping and baking and frying
And cutting and slicing and washing and drying!
Start brushing and sorting and hauling and stacking
And dusting and mopping and sweeping. Get cracking!
Start mending and sewing and pressing and folding.
Now get to work smartly, before I start scolding."
And quick as a wink, they all set about working.
Not one of the lot was seen lurking or shirking.
They cleaned up the kitchen, put things in their places.
They folded the sheets and then dusted the vases.
They polished the silver, their drive undiminished.
They washed all the windows; and when they had finished,
They filed out the door, in a flash and a twinkling,
The bells on their pointy caps jingling and tinkling.
Their leader remained when his crew all had darted
And looked 'round the servants' hall ere he departed.
And laying his nose just aside of his finger,
He took but a moment and to pause and to linger.
"To all, Happy Christmas!" his voice loud as thunder,
He said to the servants who looked on in wonder.
When all of the servants' distress had been banished,
He nodded and winked, and he instantly vanished.
The servants cheered loudly, their happiness voicing.
The downstairs assembly was filled with rejoicing.
The night before Christmas, and all through the Abbey,
The servants were happy, and no one was crabby.