A Visit From State Record Nick
Adapted From – A Visit From St. Nicholas
By Clement Clark Moore – 1823
Adaptation By – Denny Sands – 1996
Revised 2012

T’was the night before Christmas, when all through the “tackle” house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a “plastic” mouse.
The stockings were hung, by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas, soon would be there;

The “fishermen” were nestled, all snug in their beds,
While visions of “Walleyes”, danced in their heads;
And mamma in her `kerchief, and I in my “fishin” cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap,

When out on the “Lake”, there arouse such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed, to see what was the matter.
Away to my “boat”, I flew like a flash,
Tore “off” the “boat cover”, and “gave it some gas”.

The moon on the breast of the new- fallen snow,
Gave a luster of mid-day, to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a “State Record Walleye, and it was right here”.

With a “tale walking dive”, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment, it must be “State Record Nick”.

More rapid than eagles his “tale walks became”,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called us by name:

Now, “Christian, Anthony, Taylor, Nicole & Madison, Now Steve & Becky’”!
On, “Aaron, Teffanie, Austin, Scott & Jake”,
On “Clint & Heather”, Autumn, Payton & Bristol
On “Kathy & Denny”

To the top of the “water”! To the top of the “Dam”!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!

And then in a twinkling,…, I “had him on”,
The “line on my pole would zing, on and on.”
As I drew “back my pole”, and turning “him” around,
“Through the water, Old Nick”, came with a bound.

“In a second twinkling, my Blue Rapala, it came flinging back,
He was a sure State Record, as a matter of fact.”

The stump of “my fishing pole” , I held tight in my teeth,
And the “splash that he made”, encircled my head, like a wreath;
He was “all of 40 inches long”, from his head to his “tail”,
And his “fins were all perfect, with a beautiful, white tipped tail”,

His eyes – how they twinkled! His “teeth” how “scary”!
“His stature was a King, let the next angler be leery!”
His “huge” mouth was drawn up, like a bow,
And the “hair on my head”, was now, as white as the snow;

He had a broad “back” and a “big” round belly,
That shook, when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby, and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed, when I saw him “swim away”, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know, I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
“Filling fishermen’s Christmas nets”, he suddenly turned, with a jerk,

And, laying his “fin”, aside of his nose,
And, giving a nod, up “in the air”, he arose.
He “flew past my boat, and gave me a wink,”
As “Nick swam away, … man, …I need a drink”,

But I heard him exclaim, ere he “dove” out of sight,
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good-Night.”