The Real Christmas
From Black Friday to Christmas Eve,
presents to purchase and wrap.
Office and family parties, visits to relatives
platters of food and gallons of alcohol.
Trees dressed to the nines in dangling baubles
and twinkling lights.
Continuous Christmas carols blaring from radios
and loud speakers.
Wreaths and decorations to adorn tables,
night stands, credenzas, book shelves.
Lights hung in strings so large that rows
of houses look like runways for planes.
Inflatable Santas, snowmen, reindeer and nutcrackers
compete for space in yards.
Nativities, pageants, plays special music
consume congregations.
Is this the real Christmas?
Or perhaps it is-
A silent night, two thousand years ago
in a dimly lit cave.
A babe wrapped in woolen clothes
lying in a sheep’s feeding trough.
Only shepherds and loving parents
in attendance.
An infant destined to change history.
The future savior of the world.
Categories:
credenzas, christmas,
Form: Free verse
ILLUSIONS
Aloof and heedless, beer glass pushed
Aside with pique and self-pity, he was
Famous among the carved walnut credenzas
And vintage hand-cut Bohemia lead crystal stemware
In the drawing room plays
Of Kensington in his mind.
...............................
Categories:
credenzas, character, class, social,
Form: Didactic