'Twas the night before Christmas, as the soft shadows closed 'round.
Weary and tired, a corner I found.
And pausing a moment, from the others apart,
I gazed at the tall tree, a piece of "God's Art."
The splendor of its green bows so strong and so wide,
Shining in glory, its grand height and pride
Caused a feeling of awe to well up from within,
And I felt myself slipping, from that room's noisy din.
My feet, I found trodding a path cold and white
And my body wrapped snugly in still frosty night.
Onward I sped, drawn by some mightier being,
On in the darkness with eyes unseeing.
And--lo--far beyond, appeared a soft mellow glow,
'Twas a torch shedding light on the new fallen snow.
How friendly, how kindly, how warm was its ray!
I was drawn by that something; I could not stray.
'Twas a woman in white held the torch o'er her head,
And shining beyond her were soft rays of red.
I quickened my footsteps and as closer I drew,
Those rays were blended with yellow and blue.
Then orange, green and violet flowed each in a row,
Making a rainbow of beauty, its background the snow.
Filled with emotions I could not describe
I turned, Diotima stood close by my side.
She beckoned, I followed, we each took our place
In this semi-circle of color as a smile lit her face.
She spoke--how I remember each and every word well.
Her voice, sweet and clear as though rung from a bell.
"The Spirit of Christmas you'll find here, my dear,
Keep it, live it, each day in the year."
As I pondered, a soft glow was shed from above.
Could it be the moon sending her warm beams of love?
My eyes, I lifted to the deep, velvet black sky,
And there high above hung a great golden Phi.
Alas, I awakened, but in my heart, sisters, there
Lies a dream of jeweled loveliness, with you I must share.
And as the Spirit of Christmas moves throughout all the land,
True Beta Sigma Phi Spirit will go with it hand in hand.