THE NIGHT BEFORE DOG-MAS

Twas the night before Dog-Mas.

When all through the pound
Not a puppy was yelping
Or playing around.

Our leashes were hung
By our kennels with care,
In hopes that St. Bernard
Would soon find us there.

Chihuahuas were curled up
All snug in their beds,
While visions of doggie treats
Danced in their heads
.
Max in his collar
On another dog's lap
Had tucked in his tail
For a midwinter's nap.

When outside the room
There arose such a clatter
My ears perked right up
To hear what was the matter

Away to the window
I jumped up with glee
And barked at the shadows
That were cast by a tree.

The glow from the moon
Changed the night into day
And started me thinking
Woof, woof! Time to play!

When, what to my puppy-dog
Eyes did I see,
But a splendid dog-sled
Led by doggies like me.

With a regal furred driver
Commanding, not stern
I yelped to the others,
That must be St. Bern!

More rapid than greyhounds
Our saviors they came
And we barked and we howled
And called them by name:

There's Duchess!
There's King!
Fat Chance!
And bare Buffy
On Fido! On Scooter!
On Rover and Scruffy!

Go by the red hydrant
And run past those trees
Nothing can stop you,
Not even some fleas!

As puppies at play
Chase after a stick
And race tot heir masters
So lively and quick.

So out in the field
His canines all flew
Catching the Frisbees,
That St. Bernard threw.

And then in an instant
I heard at the door
The scratching and clawing
Of each little paw

As I pulled in my nose,
And was turning around
Through the door Sr. Bernard
Came in with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur
From his head to his tail,
His wood cask adorned
With an icing of hail:

A bag of chew-toys he had
Brought in with him
And his mouth was turned up in
What looked like a grin.

His eyes-how they twinkled
His ears flopped, how merry!
His coat shone like crystal,
His nose like a cherry!

His big floppy mouth
Was drawn up like a bow
And the fur on his chin
Was a white as the snow:

The stump of a bone
He held tight in his teeth,
And his collar encircled
His neck like a wreath:

He had a large face
And a furry round belly
That shook when he barked,
Like a bowl full of jelly.

He was fluffy and plump,
A big, cuddly old pooch
And I laughed when I saw him
And gave him a smooch.

A wink of his eye and
A wag of his tail;
We knew right away
We'd have homes without fail.

He howled not a howl, but
Went straight to his deed
And took down our leashes
That we soon would need.

He opened the door,
And families stood there,
With children, all smiling,
And much love to share.

He leapt to his sled
To his team cage a call,
And away they all flew
As if chasing a ball.

But I heard him exclaim
As he chewed on his bone:
HAPPY DOG-MAS TO ALL
AND TO ALL A GOOD HOME!

Author Unknown