Vigil

I had a plan that I would keep
Myself awake: I would not sleep,
But listen hard till far away
The silver bells upon his sleigh
I heard, and on the neighbors’ roofs
The clatter of those tiny hoofs.

Then from my nice warm bed I’d creep;
Out of my window I would peep,
And see him with the bag of toys
He yearly brings good girls and boys.

For from my window I can see
The chimney of our library,
Where all our stockings in a row
Hang till the fire has burned so low
That down the chimney, warm and wide,
Old Santa Claus can get inside.

But if a fire there should be
With roaring flames, it seems to me
The chimney’d get so piping hot,
I guess he’d think he’d better not.

I made my prayer, and went to bed,
And Mother tucked me in, and said,
‘Dear, drowsy head
On pillow white,
Sleep sound all night.’
And then I made believe to fall
Right sound asleep: but. in the hall
I heard our old grandfather-clock —
Tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock
Tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock
Tick-tock . . .
Then, all at once, it struck eleven —
And I had gone to bed at seven!

I listened then with all my might;
And far away across the night
I heard his sleigh-bells’ tinkling tune,
And guessed that he was coming soon.
But ever fainter grew the sound,
Till silence fell the whole world round
Except for old grandfather-clock —
Tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock —
He’d come and gone; and I admit
That I was rather glad of it.