http://librivox.org/twas-the-night-before-christmas-by-clement-c-moore/
Time for something a little more cheerful than last week's poem :)
As usual, each week a poem is chosen to be recorded by as many Librivox volunteers as possible! Have fun!
'Twas the Night before Christmas
by Clement C. Moore
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the 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 the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, _Dasher!_ now, _Dancer!_ now, _Prancer_ and _Vixen!_
On, _Comet!_ on, _Cupid!_ on, _Donder_ and _Blitzen!_
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
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 house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas 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 St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of Toys 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 of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful 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 stockings; 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 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."_
You can access the full text here:
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/17135
If you wish to contribute, please have your readings submitted by 5:00 PST on Saturday, December 24th.
Please post a link to your version in a reply to this post, or use http://yousendit.com to send your file directly to me at kara[at]nyip[dot]net .
File name: night_before_christmas_moore_[your initials].mp3
ID-3 tags:
Title: night_before_christmas_[your initials]
Artisit: moore_c
Album: librivox_weekly_poetry
new readers: remember to read the "librivox disclaimer" at the beginning of your poem, e.g. "Twas the Night Before Christmas, by Clement C. Moore, read for librivox.org by [your name]" or some variation on that, adding date, location, your personal url... (and read the Recording Notes http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=106 )
Have fun! I look forward to listening.
(and remember, anyone who submits a recording can choose the next weekly poem! If you'd like to pick next week's poem, just post here!)
Kara