Homeless

Homeless Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh what fun to decorate The Christmas tree today Hanging coloured baubles Plugging in the lights Hoping that the fuse box Doesn't plunge us into night Dashing to the shops As mum forgot the sprouts; Shelves adorned with remnants Like discarded layabouts Tempted by the offers On the things I do not need Camping chairs with reindeer, Festive kneeling pads to weed* Queuing with my one thing Next to trolleys piled with stuff Wondering .. where is Christmas? Amidst this preparation fluff A man without a shelter Greets me at the gates and then I sit a while and ask him How to find my way again.. Is Christmas an illusion? Can I truly play my part? To my chest he points and tells me: "Find it here within your heart.. "Don't be fooled by all this nonsense All that matters is what's true.. What would Jesus do at Christmas If here, sitting next to you?" His eyes are locked intently Then he smiles and looks away His words still linger somewhere While I wonder what to say.. A penny dropping slowly Is the sound that you might hear As I stand and reach my hand out While I choke away a tear. No one needs a medal Or an elevated place Just to offer human kindness Or a Christmas dinner place May the Christmas Spirit find you Through the tinsel and the noise May you learn a Peace transcendent With the Joy to beat all joys. Jinjagoliath 6th December 2022 Merry Christmas! * the verb, not the substance