I celebrate construction paper chains of red and green
or green and red depending on the word order in your sentence
and schoolroom paste the wide mouthed wonder of it
with its own brush and each to each the colours linked
bedecking the first grade's Tree say, can you see
through classroom years those Christmas clearings very dear
crepe paper bells, their honeycombed weave
folding out precisely as a rose oh holy night silent
rimmed and multicoloured lovely across the street
who knows how kindly we felt toward those
and rosy punch in little cups we supped in
the middle of the day let out early, on our way
with butter cookies shaped like stars
with sprinkles, silver beads
soft thoughts of those in need
oh there you are, lost Christmas party joy
and tinseled garlands flung above street lights, boy oh boy
we're all candle glow and caroling
car showroom windows stenciled with spray can snow
and holly berries goodness knows what else, wax angels!
hardware stores lit up like fairy tales
the drugstore paradise, chocolate cherries' shrine
the toy trains showing off the rails
last minute gifts before the final chime
mysterious trinkets, what a find!
fresh hair bows, velveteen and reindeer cheerful gift wrap,
spring colognes and early snow
this fountaining joy everywhere we go it's Christmas
who is ashamed to know and let it be echoed
soul to soul as if we all were pealing bells
children and grownups too in pageants of our own
the Christ child scenes enacting through and through
the shepherd, wise man, the free from school
at Christmas feeling evergreen new.
mary angela douglas 28 december 2018
or green and red depending on the word order in your sentence
and schoolroom paste the wide mouthed wonder of it
with its own brush and each to each the colours linked
bedecking the first grade's Tree say, can you see
through classroom years those Christmas clearings very dear
crepe paper bells, their honeycombed weave
folding out precisely as a rose oh holy night silent
rimmed and multicoloured lovely across the street
who knows how kindly we felt toward those
and rosy punch in little cups we supped in
the middle of the day let out early, on our way
with butter cookies shaped like stars
with sprinkles, silver beads
soft thoughts of those in need
oh there you are, lost Christmas party joy
and tinseled garlands flung above street lights, boy oh boy
we're all candle glow and caroling
car showroom windows stenciled with spray can snow
and holly berries goodness knows what else, wax angels!
hardware stores lit up like fairy tales
the drugstore paradise, chocolate cherries' shrine
the toy trains showing off the rails
last minute gifts before the final chime
mysterious trinkets, what a find!
fresh hair bows, velveteen and reindeer cheerful gift wrap,
spring colognes and early snow
this fountaining joy everywhere we go it's Christmas
who is ashamed to know and let it be echoed
soul to soul as if we all were pealing bells
children and grownups too in pageants of our own
the Christ child scenes enacting through and through
the shepherd, wise man, the free from school
at Christmas feeling evergreen new.
mary angela douglas 28 december 2018
