(Clement Clarke Moore - 'Twas The Night Before Christmas)

"'Twas The Night Before Tennis"

'Twas the night before Tennis, when all through the land

All the players were stirring, and raising a hand;

The racquets were held high by them all with care,

Thinking of that tennis court, they'd all soon be there;

Their whites were laid out, upon their beds,

While visions of scoreboards danced in their heads;

And Mario with his moustache, and his red cap,

Had just set up his new Power Tennis trap,

When outside his house, there arose such a clatter,

So he jumped from his seat to see what was the matter.

Away to the window he dashed in a flash,

Tore open the curtains and looked out at his trash.

The dumpsters out back, rumbled and then a friendly face appeared,

Just what Mario of today had feared,

When, what to those wondering eyes should appear,

But his green younger brother, and his can of Dutch beer,

From his chair Mario jumped, impossibly quick,

Fast as he goes, with a push of Control Stick.

More rapid than Yoshi, the courses, they came,

Toad whistled, and shouted, and called everyone's name;

"Now! Daisy, now! Peach, now! Wario and Koopa!

On! Bowser, on! Boo, on! Waluigi and Paratroopa!

To the top of the board! Towards the trophy spot, all!

Now serve away! Smash away! Whack away that ball!"

As Power Shots fire, before the wild hurricane Shy-Guy,

When it meets with the obstacle, airborne man, Fly-Guy,

So up to the scoreboards the tennis balls flew,

Above the crowd full of Toads, and those weird Piantas too.

And then, in a sprinkling, I saw on the court,

The dancing and sliding of Koopa's water sport.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

I returned the ball; Wiggler came with a bound,

He was fuming with red rage, from his head to his foot,

And covered with grass, from his nose to his boot;

A bundle of balls he had flung on his back,

It was Lakitu, floating on his cloud, hoping for a plaque.

Her eyes -- how they twinkled! Her dimples, how merry!

Her cheeks, red like roses, waving her brolly - Perry!

She threw him aside, picked up her racquet, pink,

Peach leapt into action, swung back hard, with a wink;

The stalk of a 'shroom, Mario held tight in his teeth,

And the power encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

His moustache, just like Andrea Bocelli!

Wario, chubby and plump, a right evil old pig,

Waluigi, I saw him, a lanky, mean twig.

Daisy, in bright orange, a flick of her hair,

Soon fired petals, flying over the square;

They spoke not a word, but went straight to their work,

And fired all the back serves; then turned with a jerk,

And shouting out encouragement to all of those,

And giving support, to all the tennis pros;

He sprang to his seat, to his team gave a whistle,

And the balls all flew, like the fire of a missile.

But I heard him exclaim, he called from a great height:

"Good luck players, play ball! And to all, a good fight!"

Disclaimer - This is written to 'Twas The Night Before Christmas - which authorship belongs to a fellow named Clement Clarke Moore, they wrote the original song, I parodied it. I also didn't invent any elements of Mario Tennis - on any format. I also show respect to Andrea Bocelli - a very talented opera singer.

(Not wanting to be sued by record labels or video game companies - Dixie A. Stonehall.)