A Christmas Poem (2005)

I wrote this poem last year and gave it to Tara as one of her Christmas presents ... but I thought it would make a nice post for the holidays.

I don't know anything about formating text ... but everything is supposed to be centered and the scriptures at the beginning are supposed to be smaller font and act as quote introductions like Eliot uses in all his poems (except he usually uses quotes in latin or french)

"As to the exact day or hour, no one knows it ...
be constantly on watch! Stay awake!
Mark 13:32-33

"Peace is my farewell to you,
my peace is my gift to you;"
John 14:27

Snowfall is a soft sound---a softening sound---smoothing
out the dissonance of an auto-crowded city.
Does anyone listen during these quiet sky-sent moments?

I whispered to my lover,
something about the mood of the moment.
I spoke in hushed speech,
preserving as much of the silence as I could,
but I was excited.

(whisper)
"Into the darkness of winter,
falls a precious white.
Into the blackness of the longest night,
is sent us something pure.
When ugly things bare their teeth
and wicked men attempt to hide their dirty deeds,
a savior is born."

We sat there a long time,
still throughout our entire bodies.
Except for the quivering hairs,
the listening hairs inside our ears.
They were enjoying the sound of the snow.

We had our blankets piled up,
to offer us protection from the winter cold,
the white cold,
the silent cold.
As everything was being covered outside,
we lay covered and quiet.

But we did not sleep.
No, we were much alive.

And then there was a rush of wind,
and a voice, almost audible,

saying,
"The war was won,
but the war is still fought,
Men love war but God loves life.

PEACE ON EARTH

PEACE ON EARTH

Peace on earth."

With this last line singing loudly in our ears,
we decided to go and find our children.

They also laid under layers of blankets,
but with open eyes.
They were watching and they were waiting.
Little had they slept,
refusing to forgot their task.

With tired, but joyful eyes
they watched and waited
for Christmas morning to come.