Twas the night

before Christmas, and everyone knew

The kids gobbled

dinner; sweet tea and hot stew.

Smoke detectors

hung on the ceilings with care,

Standing ready

to shout, "Get Out! Fire! Beware!"

Stockings were

hung far away from the fireplace,

But we had

our escape plan ready just in case.

The children

were safe, behind closed bedroom doors,

The Great Pillow

Fight continued on well past four.

Me in my Batman

cape; The Wife in her halo,

Had just gone

to bed, after eating some Jell-O.

With cat, Poof,

sleeping ­ purring at my feet,

The windows

were sealed against possible sleet.

Suddenly air

horns and sirens pierced through the night

They woke me

up, getting closer. Oh my, what a fright!

O what could

it be? O what could have gone wrong?

As it turned

out, I didn't have to wait long.

With all the

noise outside, I jumped out of bed

Tripping over

the cat, and then hitting my head.

I ran into

the lamp, it fell down and it shattered,

"What's

all that noise?" I thought, "What could be the matter?"

Out on my front

lawn, what did I seeOh dear

Eight, burly

firemen in red trucks and their gear.

One was giving

orders, and wore a white hat,

He was pudgy

and round; okay, a little fat.

In a moment

I knew that it must be Chief Lance,

'Cause I heard

him shout, "Send me an ambulance!"

He called the

men round him and called each by name,

Told them what

to do and when he called them; they came.

"Bobby

and Rick, Ed and Fred ­ stay in pairs,

Get all your

equipment 'cause we're going in there.

Mitch and Steve

get the kids out, help Billy and Joe

Hurry now,

hurry it's time we must go!"

"We'll

put this fire out 'cause I got command

It won't take

long till this fire's well in hand.