Tall as a ladder
Rungs of the brave
Stood like a Krishna
Words on parade
Angels with messages
Dreams in the sky
Imagine the state
Neural chemical high

It was the cool nights
Glow from the moon
All of the torch lights
Waiting for June
The magic of silence
An itch in an ear
Awaiting the whisper
   Year after year...

Velvety roses so pleasing to the senses
Convey such messages as apologies and love
The aroma of angels in blue blurry skies
Stardust, rainbows and dreams from above

To brighten your new day
With magic and laughter
A spectrum of colors
So brilliantly captured

A life refreshed
Each moment within
May the blessings of new days
On this day begin

You can never know anything
Absolutely...
Except that
You can never know anything
Absolutely...

~

the fountain on Main Street is frozen fast,
its wishes lie captured ’neath a sheet of glass;
the tinkling of bells is heard in the air,
it mingles with children playing in the square;
and exchanges of cheer as villagers greet,
watching cotton-like snowflakes fall in the street.
here white picket fences are wrapped in red lights,
form a candy cane lane in the coming night;
each street light adorned with a wreath and a dove,
and smoke from a fireplace curls wistfully above;
where icicles hang fearless, like lights they reflect,
and tree boughs bend low to pay their respects.
’tis Christ’s birth, they know; it's “that” time of year;
the season of joy; time to set aside tears.

far from the city, in this village they know,
the season they sing of is more than just bows,
than presents and wrapping, than green trees with *****,
nestled here ’neath the mountains, far from the malls,
they find treasure and meaning in the littlest things,
in stables with mangers, in angels with wings.
grateful far more for Giver, than ever the gift;
finding faith, hope and love to be true gifts that lift.
joining Christ at His Mass, in a world oft gone wrong,
they celebrate the Child in worship-filled song;
and the sound of their voices lifts high out of sight,
to dance with the breeze on this Christmas Eve’s night.
yes, ’tis Christ’s birth, they know... it's “that” time of year;
a season of joy, with good news to declare.

~

*post script.

we are saddened by the dilution of Christmas as a meaningful holy day in our western culture, yet mindful that it is individuals who can make this different; who need only make a decision to, with intentionality, bring this aspect back into their lives, letting others do what they will do.

Upon a snow flake a word is centre
Caught within an exhaled
Breath
Revealed a moment
Of winters tale,
Each now like glass semi transparent
Every breath reveals another
But soon to white they turn
A story
Lost,
Absent,
Hidden
From view, the little one
Ran, scarpered as fast as little legs can go,
Mother,
Father,
Sister,
&
Brother,
Wait child what is the rush,
"A winters tale"
"I breathed upon it"
But the moment faded, the word was lost
They went out side
As gentle flakes feel,
She breathed upon a single tear of snow
As before the word glistened,
"Do you see"
"Do you believe"
Astonishment,
Wonder,
Confusion
Mouths ajar at what eyes just seen,
As before the moment passed
Word had faded as lost
In the fresh linen of snow,
Each was ready,
Inhaled breath
Exhaled,
Words appeared, glistening within
Mothers word was
"The"
Father exhaled,
"Meaning"
My brother sneezed upon one
"Of"
Mandy
"Ate one"
Then realised, exhaled on passing ones,
"Christmas"
I waited, as many fell upon
My face, I exhaled
"Is"
But as we breathed none did change,
Is what, then
Goofy barked, dog breath greeted
Flakes
Falling
Slowly,
The word brought a smile to all,
"Family"
They were still upon the blanket of white,
Each picked the chosen flake,
It was glass, as if the word etched,
Upon the mantle piece each sat,
"The Meaning Of Christmas Is Family"
We all smiled at the winters tale,
We each exhaled a breath and a story was told..

I left my broken heart in a box outside your door
But you left it in the freezing rain
Each widening crack as the ice seeped in
Led to one more nightmare
Another shattered dream
We had it all my darling
At least I thought it so until my money ran out
Then it was my time to go
Is that truly what it was all about
You had everything you ever wanted
Until the cash ran out
So was that all you wanted
The good life I once could give
You said you truly loved me
That I was the reason that you lived
Now my shattered heart lies outside your door
Frozen by the bitter winds
And each and every lonely night
My sleep is haunted by one more shattered dream