[linn65]

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a MET;

The equipment tools were hung by the surgery room with care,

In hopes that DOCTOR soon would be there;

The family were nestled all snug in their seats,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And Karen in her ‘Surgery gown, and the nurse in her cap,

Had just settled their brains for a long abiliation surgery,

When out on the operating room there arose such a clatter,

Karen sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the surgical room she flew like a flash,

Tore open the doors and and went straight to sleep.

The bright lights on the new surgical equipment

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a surgeon, and team full of nurses, and medical assistant's

With new techniques, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be the doctor

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, on Donner and Blitzen!

To the top of the exam room! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away Mets!’

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;

So out of your body the mets flew,

With the room full of nurses, and the surgeon too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard in recovery

The talking and teaching about each little stitch.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Out the room the surgeon came with a bound,

He was dressed all in scrubs, from his head to his foot,

and his scrubs were all wrinkled and filled full of sweat.

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;

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 had finished his work,

and told all the family that met was a jerk,

and laying his finger aside of his nose,

and giving a nod, out the waiting room he went;

He sprang to his feet , to his team gave a whistle,

and away they all walked down from the hall.

But I heard him exclaim, ‘abiliated the met out of sight,

‘Happy Christmas to Karen, and to all a good-night!!