A POEM by Paul Curtis, BASED ON THE STORY by
Charles Dickens “A
CHRISTMAS CAROL”
VERSE 4 - OLD
FEZZIWIG’S
They had but that
moment left the school’s vicinity
And were then in the
busy thoroughfares of a city
Where shadowy figures
passed this way and that way
And many varied carts
and coaches battle in the Grey
It was plain enough to
see by the mode of decoration
In the shop windows
that it was Christmas time again
But it was the evening
time and all the streets were lit
Stopping by a door
Scrooge was asked if he knew it
“Know it!” said
Scrooge. “Was I not apprenticed there?”
They went in and saw
an old gentleman sat in a chair
At the sight of the
old gentleman in the Welsh wig
Scrooge cried in great
excitement giving a kind of jig
“Why, it's old
Fezziwig! Bless his heart alive again!”
He adjusted his
waistcoat as the clock struck seven
Fezziwig looked at the
clock and laid down his pen
He laughed to himself
and he closed his ledger then
Laughing in a manner
benevolent and comfortable
Called out loudly in a
voice oily, rich, fat and jovial
“Yo ho, there!
Ebeneezer! Dick!” he said in a bellow
Young apprentice Scrooge
appeared with his fellow
“Dick Wilkins” said
Scrooge to the Ghost “Bless me”
There he is. He was
much attached to me was Dicky”
“Yo ho, boys!” said
Fezziwig. “No more work to-night.
It’s Christmas Eve,
Dick. Christmas, Ebeneezer all right”
“So let’s have the
shutters up,” old Fezziwig cried
“Before you can say
Jack Robinson,” he said with pride
The two boys went
about their task with great vigor
Pursued by the
exuberant Fezziwig’s jovial figure
He skipped about
offering the occasional “Hilli- ho”
Or even a “Chirrup”
wherever the boys had to go
The room was
completely cleared of every moveable
Floor swept, lamps
trimmed and fire made as desirable
Then no sooner was the
room snug and warm in there
In came a fiddler with
music and climbed upon a chair
Then came Mrs.
Fezziwig, smiling vast and substantial
In came the three Miss
Fezziwig’s, beaming and lovable
And the daughters
suitors and then friends of the family
The cook and housemaid
and various other employees
Until eventually the
large room was full to overflowing
And the music began in
earnest, which led to dancing
There was cold roast
and boiled meat and beer a plenty
And the Fezziwig’s
danced as if they were only twenty
Shining in every part
of the dance like stars in heaven
Then the ball broke up
when the clock struck eleven
Either side of the
door the Fezziwig took up stations
And shook hands with
all offering seasons felicitations
When all the guests
had departed from the premises
They wished the same
to their two young apprentices
As the Fezziwig’s made
off chatting like they’d never stop
The lads went to their
beds, which were in the back-shop
During the whole time
of the unfolding merriment
His heart and soul
were with his former embodiment
He corroborated
everything, remembered everything
Enjoyed it all, but
his agitation was the strangest thing
It was only went the
boys bright faces turned away
That he remembered the
spirit who lighted the way
“A small matter,” it
said “To fill them with gratitude.”
“Small matter!” echoed
Scrooge in a bemused attitude
The Spirit signed to
him to listen to the two apprentices
Who were pouring out
their hearts to Fezziwig’s praises
Then the spirit added,
“Why! Is it so praise worthy!
He has spent but a few
pounds of your mortal money
“It isn't that spirit”
said Scrooge, heated by the remark
Speaking unconsciously
like his former self as a clerk
“It isn't that, He has
the power to make us happy or not
To make our working
life light or burdensome in out lot
A pleasure or a toil.
His words and looks could entune
The happiness he
gives, is as great as if it cost a fortune”
He felt the Spirit's
glance upon him and went silent
“What is the matter?”
asked the Ghost in amusement
“Nothing in
particular,” said Scrooge quite abruptly
“Something, I think?”
said the apparition insistently
“No,” said Scrooge,
“No. I should like to be able to
Speak to my clerk now
that's all Just a word or two”
As the younger Scrooge
turned down the lamps light
The older and the
Ghost stood side by side in the night
“My time grows short,”
observed the Spirit. “Quick!”
Then were once again
removed like in a magic trick
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