NOEL IN TIME
I’m neither pagan nor a druid
In the olden times it was Yule
And mead a much loved fluid
A log is better than daily gruel
Many believe in the Virgin birth
On the twenty fifth of December
It wasn’t then, for what it’s worth
Changed to fit, so you remember
With many hijacked pagan dates
Such that festivals neatly coincide
None should ever tempt the Fates
But many still love Christmastide
At Christmastide the family felt dread,
As they sat around a fantastic spread,
As dad carved the turkey,
It spoke up quite quirky,
“Do you fancy swopping places instead?”
17/11/22
A Fun Holiday Limerick competition
Tania Kitchin
Syllable counter: howmanysyllables.com
Epiphany
It's January sixth, called Epiphany Day
And Christmastide has come to a close
Bright holiday lights have faded away
And I've spent the day in pensive repose.
So, here I am with a brand new year
And an empty course that's mine to chart
In the solitary silence I hope to hear
Some whispered hints within my heart.
How would I like this year to be?
In a tempestuous world do I have a choice?
In my little frigate on my secret sea
Yes, I sense the power of my personal voice.
This epiphany places me at the helm
Where I'll navigate squalls that come along
Feeling the security of my inner realm
My chanty will be a hopeful song.
Molly Moore
[sung to the tune of
"Hark, the Herald Angels' Sing]
Lo, we hear the children sing
Praises to our newborn king,
All the children, voices singing
Joyful news their carols bring.
Peace on earth, to all we say
Jesus Christ is born today
So we lift our voice to him
“Jesus, born in Bethlehem!”
Lo, we hear the children sing
Praises to our newborn king!
Now we hear the choir proclaim
Praises sung to Jesus’ name,
From the loft their voices singing
Of the night our Savior came.
Joyful sounds of Christmastide
With sweet Jesus we abide,
So, let’s lift our voice to him
“Jesus, born in Bethlehem!”
Now we hear the choir proclaim
Praises sung to Jesus’ name.
Written December 6, 2021
Especially for “A Christmas Carol” Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Regina McIntosh
Though winter brings us snow and ice
It brings us Christmas too,
A time of year that we all love
When there's so much to do.
Through shops all a glitter
We search for things to buy,
And send them off to Santa
Before Rudolph’s sleigh is nigh.
With joy we watch a child's face
As we decorate the tree,
And every year we build within
A lasting memory.
We help write Santa's letter, which
Brings again a certain joy,
Asking him if he will bring, some
Very special toy.
Then at last it's Christmas Eve and
Each child's tucked in bed,
Where they dream of presents, from
The bearded man in red.
Finally all fast asleep, they miss
The bells of Rudolph’s sleigh
But their rustling of pretty paper
Tells us it's Christmas Day.
The cool crisp air where cirrus sweeps
like strands of angel hair flow deep,
in the heavens where faith resides
on this Christmastide.
As the light of day grows dim
and carolers sing familiar hymns,
scarved red and green, side by side
on this Christmastide.
In the night the bright bulbs glow,
lane by lane, row on row,
while the fire warms those inside
on this Christmastide.
At worship faithful praise and sing,
around the village church bells ring;
within this love we will abide,
on this Christmastide.
In silent night while children sleep,
mothers kneel and softly weep,
praying for a peace worldwide
on this Christmastide.
Out in the fields, no city lights
among the stars there in the night,
the brightest hope on high presides
on this Christmastide
Winter is a coming in upon this Christmastide
And snowflakes fall on field and fell across the countryside
To cover brown and green, they spread their one blanket of white
And here and there, a white bump hints at something out of sight
Does he know it's Christmas, that sheepie in the snow?
Most likely not; he knows it's cold with no warm place to go.
He's somewhere there below the white, with snow piled up around
Wondering where went the light, what happened to the sound?
There is no time to hesitate, leave rescue undelayed
Put on your boots and hasten out, armed with your trusty spade
To dig around that snowclad hump that hides the sheepie form
And take that festive sheep inside, somewhere that he'll be warm
So do not get a Christmas tree, they don't belong inside
Get, instead, a Christmas sheep to celebrate Yuletide
Decorate him if you wish; things suitable to chew
For a Merry Christmas spent in company of ewe
Hush now three days yet to past.
My grandmother joy was fulfilled with laughter.
The Christmas spirit was upon us once again.
The tree is surrounded with presents and chorales sing door-to-door.
The occurrence of Christmas would be wonderful.
The cards and letters came in big sacks.
We as adolescents would sneak to read them by ourselves.
The love of Christmas was shown via our snow-mom.
We hung a scarf around her neck and wished her a Merry Christmas.
We knew the hush of Christmas past was upon us.
We sleep like teddy bears.
We wore our cotton pajamas to bed.
The warmth of the cabin was nice.
We were tuck away and told to have a good night.
Christmastide sparkled in our eyes.
Merry Christmas shouted our grandmother.
We bustled out to open our presents.
The curtains were open wide.
The snow was glistening white outside.
Shush of Yuletide was a thrill inside.
|________________________________________|
penned on december 06, 2014 @ 12:10 A.M. EST!
The tree was cut and roped by boys
Who brought it home to guard the toys
And treasures stacked up round its rootless base:
The pine has found an indoor resting place.
And underneath the tree are set
The gifts of Christmastide for yet
Another year and tree have come to mark
His birth, with fragrant needles, cones and bark.
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