'Twas the night before Christmas when through the Stahlbaum house
Every creature was stirring… Yes, even a mouse!
The party was festive; the tree decorated with care
While everyone waited for Drosslemeier to get there.
The children were playing, their parents all fed
Fritz was excited when he heard what was said.
His mother announced that everyone should hide,
For Drosselmeier was late and fit to be tied!
So the party halted while everyone hid,
Drosselmeier entered, checking his watch as he did.
Out popped the guests with laughter all around,
He greeted everyone, but Marie could not be found.
Marie, his godchild, was the apple of his eye
And when she first appeared, he let out a huge sigh.
He brought a special gift that was only meant for her,
Marie was a young lady, so graceful and demure.
Drosselmeier staged a play for the guests to enjoy
It was a mysterious tale about a Hard nut and a boy.
The story had a princess and a mouse that wanted cheese
The king and queen despised mice, even ones that said, "Please?"
The mouse had special powers and when cheese was denied,
He cast a spell on the princess and made her sleepy-eyed.
She could not wake up unless a special Nut was found,
The kingdom sent word out for towns to look around.
A friend of the King, a one-eyed astronomer named Dross
Brought in the rare nut he had found under some moss.
Any suitor that could crack this hard nut with his teeth
Could marry the princess upon completing this feat.
So many suitors came to give this Hard Nut a try
Including two brothers named Nimble and Nye.
But to their disappointment, their efforts had failed
Then Dross brought his nephew, Klaus, who came in by sail.
This nephew of Dross' had teeth that were strong
He cracked this Hard nut while dancing to a song.
The princess awoke and was to be married to Klaus,
But their joy would be ruined because of one mouse.
The rodent returned seeing his spell had been broken
The nut had been cracked and the princess awoken.
So in a furious rage, the mouse grabbed the boy
And bit him so hard, the kingdom lost all joy.
Because at that moment, Klaus turned into wood
Never again moving as before he once could.
The play may have ended, but not really right there
For in Marie's arms: a Nutcracker with white hair.
Could this be the one that the play was about?
Marie was in love with the Nutcracker, no doubt.
The festivities ended, but Marie snuck down to see
Her special Nutcracker beneath the Christmas tree.
She danced with her Nutcracker, spinning into sleep
The house became still; not a sound, not a peep.
When she awoke, things were not the right size
She got caught in a battle where an evil mouse king dies.
The spell on her Nutcracker was lifted and broken
He offered his hand to her; his love, unspoken.
They departed on a journey with delicate snowflakes,
He showed her meadows, streams, and flowered-filled lakes.
A celebration is ordered for the heroine of this story,
She is adorned with a crown to wear in all her glory.
The Nutcracker bestows Marie a gift from his heart
He is grateful to be alive and then they both depart.
They see Spaniards, Arabians, and Chinese with fast feet,
Russians and Children from a Valley that 'Tweets.'
Klaus and Marie share a very special world
Where love blossoms sweetly in the mind of a young girl.
They dance and are swept away by love's happy light,
Never to imagine this love will only last one night.
Their joyous celebration slowly begins to fade,
Marie is confused upon waking where she first laid.
Marie looks for her Nutcracker, and sees nothing there
But she is still wearing rose buds and a crown up in her hair!
The crack of dawn illuminates a figure by the tree,
Is it a boy or the Nutcracker that we think we can see?
-Karen Gabay
11/4/12