'Twas the Light Before Christmas (yes, pun intended!)

'Twas the light before Christmas, in the clinic hall,

The students were dreaming of lasers, one and all.

Their goggles were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Laser soon would be there.

The course notes were scattered all over the floor,

As students studied wavelengths and safety galore.

And I in my lab coat, with eggnog in hand,

Prepared for a holiday that was surely grand.

When out in the lab, there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my desk to see what was the matter.

Away to the laser I flew like a flash,

Tripped over a cable, and let out a crash!

The laser light twinkled, all merry and bright,

Gave a lustre of science to the lab that night.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer!

With a jolly old driver, so lively like a taser,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Laser.

More rapid than photons, his entourage they came,

And he whistled and shouted and called them by name:

"Now, Argon! Now, CO2! Now, Excimer and Diode!

On, Ruby! On, Nd:YAG! On, Alexandrite, too!

To the top of the lab! To the highest of beams!

Now bounce away, bounce away, like laser light gleams!"

So up to the lab-top, the reindeers they flew,

With a sleigh full of devices, and St. Laser too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof,

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand and was turning around,

Down the laser chimney, St. Laser came with a bound.

He was dressed in ruby red, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all covered with laser soot.

A bundle of presents he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a scientist just opening his pack.

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

His cheeks were like lasers, all red and all cherry!

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

Filled stockings with goggles, and lasers with a smirk.

Then laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

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

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a laser-filled night!"

I wish I was clever enough to have written this poem for you all but I called on the creative juices of ChatGPT, and it helped me a LOT.

A Very Merry Christmas to you all, Love Elissa xx