A Christmas Card For My Sister

more even more from the distance, childhood,
the red rose white rose storybook cries
shall we pay attention

and turn the page at the angelic chime renewed
we shall
with every clearing sky still note

the blue green fir trees
and the Christmas surprise
that everything we dreamed

was dreamed for us before
in God's surmise.
oh let us colour in the Star

above the mild manger
the startled shepherds
and the songs of gold

the harps touched in the soul
we thought had died
or been covered up

with the latter snows.
let us plant the flag of no retreat
and let the tiny silver trumpets blow

with hollied wreath and mistletoe

around the saddened the sidereal worlds
all these images more beautiful hurled through Time
above the insistent, the wondering night on hold

here we will pray before the closing
of earth's small day.
among the oranges and the peppermints

with all our hearts
and on the toy pianos plink again
the symphonies of our natal joy.

mary angela douglas 24 november 2019