Lawrence Hall, HSG
Mhall46184@aol.com


                       Hanukkah is a Light That Always Gets In


                            There is a crack in everything.
                            That’s how the light gets in.

                               -Leonard Cohen, “Anthem”


Eight candles of the mind, then, of the soul
In a time of hooded pursuivants
Seeking for truth so that it might be suppressed
Seeking for light that it might be extinguished

There mustn’t be any candles, then, in the windows now
In this Abomination of Desolation
Where wrapped in reptilian rags from Amazon
Sullen illiterates ***** their eyes against the light

If you are somewhat broken, read from the scroll
Beneath the lights of Hanukkah
Eight candles of the mind and of the soul



Note on the quotation: Babblings on the InterGossip led me to verify the above quote, which is from the poem “Anthem” published in Leonard Cohen, ed. Robert Faggen, Everyman’s Pocket Poetry series.

Lawrence Hall, HSG
Mhall46184@aol.com

                                      “I’m a Registered Choctaw”


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As glad-handy as a Rotarian
Blue-eyed and sporting a blonde jack-***-tail
Aggressively hearty in his greetings to all
“I’m a registered Choctaw,” he boasted

(Tho’ I am but a poor Heinz 57
My muggle-blood trumps his vain trumpery)
He asked how many Hispanics have we got
I said I hadn’t counted and wouldn’t know

He is a grant-writer for the homeless
And seems to grant pretty good for himself

Lawrence Hall, HSG
Mhall46184@aol.com

                       A Porch of Worms on the Feast of St. Stephen

These winter squalls are almost springtime rains
Warm days, cool nights, and windblown showers at dawn
And on the porch appear some curious stains
Dark squirming squiggles progressing up from the lawn

Up from the lawn, up from their earthen beds
In desperate trails of iridescent slime
As peristaltic tubes with wavery heads
Rhythmically marking out their march in time

But all too brief their escape, alas -
A feast for robins who will not let them pass

Lawrence Hall, HSG
Mhall46184@aol.com

                                   Did You Enjoy Your Christmas?


                                               Christmas Night


That merry little Christmas that they sing about –
Did you open your gifts around a tree
Tinsel and ornaments and a brilliant star
Pajamas and cocoa and merriment

Did you enjoy a dinner with someone special
Or with happy children and a few friends
Then coffee and cake and quiet memories
Everyone free from telescreens and devices

And now with a fire and soft candlelight
Is this another gentle silent night?

I hope it is so, dear friend

Lawrence Hall, HSG
Mhall46184@aol.com

      O Ring Out Christmas Safety Cautions and Trigger Warnings

We must not overeat at Christmas dinner
We must not pass the doggie a poisonous treat
We must not speak aloud of loser or winner
We must not undercook the veg or meat

We must not argue during the second course
We must not provoke any bitterness or tears
We must not mention our cousin’s divorce
We must not let Momma drink too many beers

We must not drop our guard on Christmas Day -
For it’s all about family (that’s what some say)

Lawrence Hall, HSG
Mhall46184@aol.com

                            O Little Front Line of Bethlehem

Stopped and questioned multiple checkpoints
A search of their persons and their vehicle
And a stern warning from the local patrol:
“You are not permitted to draw on public funds”

The Holy Family arrives at last at a no-tell inn
“I need to see two forms of identification
And a major credit card from any on this list
Fresh linens are extra; the ice machine is broken”

Surly men in grubby camouflage smoke cigarettes
Occasional gunfire lights up the noisy night

Lawrence Hall, HSG
Mhall46184@aol.com

                             (From The Saint Tibbs’ Day Songbook)

                          Last Christmas I Gave You my Pancreas

I thought there was an idea here
But maybe not
Just a few questions, ma’am
About the guy who received your heart and gave it away
Did he drop it off at a re-sale shop?

Giving a body part at Christmas is sing-able
           Because
“Last Septuagesima Sunday I gave you my heart”
Is not something you can dance to easily
Especially if you have no cardio-pulmonary functions

I thought there was an idea here
Maybe it’s those Nyquil dreams again…