A Pause For Mr Claus

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a louse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While nightmares of riverdance replayed in their heads.

And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.
But alas, in the night, there arose such a clatter,
The sleigh hit a snag, and what followed was sadder

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of reindeer gone poof
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a terrible sound.
A crash and a tumble, a swirl of dismay,

The reindeer and sleigh in disarray.
A cacophony of chaos, no longer serene.
St. Nick was entangled, a sight to behold,
Stuck in the chimney, his journey gone cold.

The elves, ever nimble, a search and rescue crew,
Sprang into action, their loyalty true.
With tools and with magic, they worked unsuccessful,
To free Santa from his chimney plight.

The children awoke to a joyous scene,
Presents and laughter, a holiday dream.
Yet, in the midst of the mirth and the cheer,
A distant sound fell upon every ear.

A haunting echo, a desperate cry,
From the chimney where Santa once soared high.
For trapped in the darkness, his merriment ceased,
St. Nicholas struggled, his joy now deceased.

The children, their eyes wide with terror and fright,
Gazed up at the chimney, a chilling sight.
For Santa, once jolly, now twisted and gnarled,
A spectral figure, his magic now charred.

His voice, once so merry, now echoed in pain,
As he pleaded for freedom, a release from the chain.
The chimney that once brought joy and delight,
Now held Santa captive, a creature of night.

The children, brave souls, with hearts pure and bold,
Sought to free Santa from the chimney's tight hold.
But each attempt failed, and the hours grew late,
As Santa's wails filled the cold Christmas fate.

The night grew darker, the air thick with fear,
As Santa's entrapment drew painfully near.
The joy of the season, now tainted and marred,
By the darkness that spread from the chimney charred.

And so, as the clock struck the midnight hour,
The children, defeated, their spirits grown sour,
Watched in despair as the chimney consumed,
The essence of Santa, his spirit entombed.

No more would he bring gifts on Christmas Eve,
No more would his laughter in chimney pipes weave.
For Santa was lost, forever ensnared,
In a chimney, where joy and horror were paired.