A Morning to Dance

'Twas Christmas Morn before sunrise.
Emma stirred and opened her eyes.
A smile grew wide across her face
And joy increased her young heart's pace.
The Eve had come. The night had passed.
The day she loved was here at last.

'Twas Christmas Morn, no more to sleep.
Should Emma rise and make a peep?
No longer could she stay in bed
For thoughts of toys did fill her head.
Stepping lightly o'er the floor
She reached and cracked her bedroom door.

'Twas Christmas Morn, no time to waste.
Should 'Em slip down the long staircase?
Across the way her parents slept,
So bravely down the hall she crept.
Atop the stairs she paused to listen
And saw below a glow that glistened.

'Twas Christmas Morn, not quite first light.
Had Emma's tree stayed lit all night?
She must go down to check that glow.
She must find out. She had to know.
With watchful eyes she stepped down slow,
And blankey, too, she drug in tow.

'Twas Christmas Morn, a charming day.
Might Emma find that elf at play?
The elf she first found on a shelf
Kept watch and nightly moved himself.
Perhaps he's dancing in the light
'Cause Christmas is his great delight.

'Twas Christmas Morn and Emma knew
She'd not seen real elves hitherto.
But, on this morn she hoped she could
Why, it's Christmas! She thought she should.
So, at the door she leaned to peek,
And what she saw was quite unique.

'Twas Christmas Morn when all is bright,
For wonders blessed the earth that night.
The elf 'Em hoped would come alive
Was shaking, jittering - doin' the Jive.
He skittered and swung, he twirled about
With so much joy she thought he'd shout.

'Twas Christmas Morn and now daybreak.
'Em knew this sprite was not a fake.
She couldn't wait to tell her folks,
But would they think her tale a hoax?
This elf could help them to believe
Those wondrous tales of Christmas Eve.

'Twas Christmas Morn. Her folks came down.
"Come! Look!" Em cried, "See what I've found."
She grabbed their hands and tugged them in
To watch the elf's shown in the den.
Into the room they rushed wide-eyed
And found...well...nothing. Emma sighed.

'Twas Christmas Morn. No elf in sight.
Could he not dance for their delight?
Where could he be? They'd like his show.
He must have had somewhere to go.
'Em made no fuss for she just knew
Someday he'd come and dance anew.

'Twas Christmas Morn. The night had passed.
The day 'Em loved had come at last.
Around the tree were gifts galore -
Perhaps that tutu she'd asked for.
Grandparents, cousins, uncles and aunts
Would all drop by - for them she'd dance.

'Twas Christmas Morn. 'Em's dream came true.
She beamed with pride in her tutu.
She leaped and twirled on just one toe,
And danced for all an awesome show.
They clapped and cheered and some said, "Wow!"
'Em laughed and smiled and took a bow.

'Twas Christmas - a morning to dance.

- Robert D. Karrick

Copyright© Robert D. Karrick. All rights reserved.