There was once a very mean, old man
So cheap he would put no money in anyone's donation can
His name was Ebenezer
His Christmases grew ever cheaper
On Christmas cheer there was basically a ban
There was once a dreary eve of the twenty-five
With Mister Ebenezer, frustrated but alive
His employee wanted the next day free
Bob Cratchet, his name, did all but fill Scrooge with holiday glee
Scrooge asked Bob to come in at five
Then there came two donation collecters who preached:
"Blessed are those who give to the poor their reach!"
It was a portly pair in charge
(By the way, portly means large!)
Scrooge sent them off with an empty can and a speech
Soon after that, but still the same day
Fred, his own nephew, was seen coming in to say:
"Uncle, uncle, would you eat with us tomorrow?"
"No, kid, for it is another's soul I would have to borrow"
Scrooge had ways like that of keeping happiness at bay
Now wait, a break in our story there must be
For once in Scrooge's business there was not one and not three
Jacob Marley was once his partner in the accounting house
It's too bad that seven years ago today this flame was doused
So now Scrooge is alone--whatever that means to thee
Going home, Scrooge looked at his door knocker
He noticed his dead partner's face on his house's locker
Jacob Marley was to the day dead exactly 7 years
But that night the dead would be causing some fears
Scrooge just went to his room and sat in his rocker
Asleep Scrooge fell, only to be woken
Thrown from dreamland by Marley and his chain of tokens
Marley's ghost wore a chain with weight for every misdeed
It had cashboxes, keys, and padlocks--many indeed
Marley had lots of habits he now wishes he'd broken
Marley said Scrooge would be unhappy for a time that is long
If in the life he is still living, he did not right all his wrongs
If Marley could go back, he would fix his mistakes
Scrooge did not yet understand, and did not undertake
Marley said: "Three more ghosts will haunt you before the night is gone!"