"Night Before Prixin"
'Twas the night before Prixin,
and all through the ship,
all the crew was stirring,
even Harry Kim.
All the relics were hung by the bulkheads with care,
in hopes that the Hirogen never would be there.
Naomi was settled by Neelix to bed, and visions of the Great tree waved in her head.
And Janeway in her uniform, and I from a walk,
had just settled down for a good long talk.
When out on the bridge there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the viewscreen I flew like a flash,
tore Harry apart to throw up like a sash.
When what do my wondering eyes should appear,
but a miniature ship and eight tiny crewmen,
with a little worn captain, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be Cap'n Nick.
More rapid than warp did his impulse engines come,
And he whistled and shouted, and hailed us by name:
"Now Captain!  Now Commander!  Now Harry, and Seven!
On, Tuvok!  On Neelix!  On, B'Elanna and Tom!
To the end of the galaxy!  To the Alpha Quadrant!
Now dash away!  Dash away!  Dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the windy hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, up, up to the sky,
So to the docking bay the engines they flew,
with the ship full of technology, and Cap'n Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard from the bridge,
the gunning and running of each little ridge.
As I turned my head, and was looking around,
down the turbolift Cap'n Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
and his clothes were all covered with space-ash and soot.
A bundle of technology he had flung on his back,
and he looked like a trader just opening his sack.
His eyes- how dull they were!  His love handles how merry!
His cheeks were like sunken hollows, his nose like a cherry!
His little droll mouth was drawn up like a wormhole,
and the beard on his chin was as white as a snowball;
He had a wide face and a big pot belly
that shook, when he laughed, like Neelix's jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old unfamiliar,
and I laughed when I saw him, despite my recent behavior.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread,
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
and gave us the technology, then turned with a jerk.
And placing his finger up in his nose,
and giving a nod, up the turbolift he rose.
He sprang to his ship and to his engines he began,
and away he flocked like the Borg had to Terran.
But I heard him hail, as he flew out to the bend,
"Merry Prixin to all, and to all a happy end!"