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!"