SCROOGE and MARLEY (Deceased) – STAVE 2 – THE FIRST OF THE THREE SPIRITS – Verses 1 to 2

A POEM by Paul Curtis, BASED ON THE STORY by

Charles Dickens “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”

 

VERSE 1 - AWAKENING

 

It was so dark when scrooge awoke from his slumber

That he could scarcely see across his bedchamber

He was trying to pierce the dark with ferret eyes

And he peered out the window at the darkened skies

When he was startled by the church clock chimes

As it suddenly struck out the quarters all Four times

With the sound reverberating from the church tower

Scrooge listened for the great clock to strike the hour

To his great astonishment the heavy bell went on

From six to seven to eight, and regularly past eleven

In fact it struck all the way to twelve then silence

Twelve? It was two when he retired it made no sense

The clock must be wrong and most probably it was broken

Ice must have got into the works if he was not mistaken

Twelve? Scrooge touched the spring of his repeater

To correct this most preposterous public chronometer

The repeater’s rapid little pulse beat twelve and ceased

“Why, it isn't possible,” He said with forehead creased

“That I can have slept through a whole day, it isn’t right

And furthermore that I should sleep far into another night

It isn't possible anything has happened to the sun

And it’s twelve at noon.” This idea was an alarming one

He could see nor hear signs of life on the street below

After he had rubbed the frost off his bedroom window

If it were noon there would be people making their way

Unquestionably if night had beaten off bright day

Scrooge went to bed again, and thought, and thought

And thought it over and over and over as best he ought

The more he thought, the more perplexed he became

The more he tried not to think, he thought all the same

Jacob Marley's Ghost still bothered him exceedingly

When he thought of him a chill ran up his back icily

He resolved within himself that it was all a dream

And that things could not possibly be as they seem

His mind flew back, like a strong spring released

“Was it a dream or not?” his uneasiness hadn’t ceased

Scrooge lay restless and uneasy in his four poster bed

Then Ebeneezer suddenly recalled what Marley had said

He warned him of a visitation when the bell tolled one

He resolved to stay awake until the thing was done

“Ding, dong!” “A quarter past,” said Scrooge, counting.

“Ding dong!” “Half past!” said Scrooge almost shouting

“Ding dong!” “A quarter to it,” Scrooge said nervously

“Ding dong!” “The hour itself,” he said triumphantly

“And nothing else!” He spoke before the hour was done

Which it then did with a deep, hollow, melancholy one

Suddenly light filled the room bright as dawn

And his bed curtains were simultaneously drawn

 

VERSE 2 – AN UNEARTHLY VISITATION

 

Scrooge was startled into a half-recumbent position

Found himself face to face with an unearthly visitation

It was a strange figure almost like a child yet not so

And almost like a very old man but not one though

The odd figure was certainly of childlike proportion

Yet it was a muscular and athletic looking apparition

It had long flowing hair which was white as if with age

The beings general demeanor was that of an old sage

Yet the face had not a single wrinkle not even a trace

And the tenderest bloom was on the creatures face

The figure held a branch of fresh green holly in its hand

And its dress was trimmed with a summer flower band

But the oddest thing about it was the crown of light

It wore upon its head spouting a jet clear and bright

And by the crown on its head everything was visible

But it carried a cap to make the light extinguishable

“Are you the Spirit whose coming was foretold to me?”

Asked Scrooge “I Am.” The soft voice replied gently 

“What are you?” “I’m the Ghost of Christmas Past”

“Long Past?” inquired Scrooge curtly “No your past.”

Scrooge had a special desire to see the cap on the Spirit

Over the illuminating light and begged him to cover it

“Would you so soon put out the light I give right now?

Eternally for such as you, I wear it low upon my brow!”

Scrooge disclaimed all intention of offending the spirit

Or any knowledge of having made him wear a bonnet

Then boldly inquired what business brought him there.

The ghostly apparition calmly replied “Your welfare”

Regarding his welfare Scrooge thought what was best

Was without a doubt a long night of unbroken rest

He soon realized that his thoughts The Spirit could read

For it then said “Your reclamation, then so Take heed”

It put out its strong hand and clasped Scrooge gently

Taking his arm as he said “Rise and walk with me”

Ebeneezer Scrooge was reluctant to leave his warm bed

The grasp, gentle as a woman’s was not to be resisted

He was a little alarmed wearing only his nightclothes

When the spirit led him in the direction of the windows

He clasped his robe in supplication “I am just a mortal,”

“Please spirit” Scrooge remonstrated “I’m liable to fall”

The spirit said “Bear a touch of my hand on your heart,”

“And you shall be upheld in more than this lest we part.”

They passed through the wall as the words were spoken

And stood on a road with fields and all around was open