—Poetry from a A Quartet of Poets: Jennifer Fenn,
Carol Louise Moon, Carol Eve Ford, Lillian Ford
—Photos by Carol Louise Moon, Placerville, CA
COME TO THE MANGER
—Jennifer Fenn, Fresno, CA
From shopping and shoving crowds full of strangers,
you will find peace when you come to the manger.
There’s no need to rush for excesses of “stuff.”
Just giving Him time and friendship’s enough.
So come to His manger of simple wood, no glitz.
Bow down and see that sweet smile of His.
When He looks up at you, you know you’re loved
just as you are, both there and above.
—Jennifer Fenn, Fresno, CA
From shopping and shoving crowds full of strangers,
you will find peace when you come to the manger.
There’s no need to rush for excesses of “stuff.”
Just giving Him time and friendship’s enough.
So come to His manger of simple wood, no glitz.
Bow down and see that sweet smile of His.
When He looks up at you, you know you’re loved
just as you are, both there and above.
CHRISTMAS EVE
—Jennifer Fenn, Fresno, CA
Hymns
soar past
our candles
through the stained glass
up to star-filled skies,
heralding our Savior.
Unto us a child is born!
—Jennifer Fenn, Fresno, CA
Hymns
soar past
our candles
through the stained glass
up to star-filled skies,
heralding our Savior.
Unto us a child is born!
HALLELUJAH
—Carol Eve Ford, Kenai, AK
Christmas crystal, sparkle, light
and crisp, cold dark!
Stars, quiet, hidden crèches.
Boxes, bags, tags, rain, sleet, snow, dark-of-night
mail carriers,
slant-light gray cold crunching snow—
glitter-sparkled air, popping ice, Shshshshsh.
Later, music, laughing loud together,
bold cooking, grand cacophony,
lights, tinsel, cookies, candy thermometers,
golden fresh, fresh ribbons, lights, bags, tags,
yeast, cream, caramel, parcels,
zip, rip, wad, explode, surprise,
delight, ooos, aaahs, kisses,
quiet watching crèches,
steaming plates, glowing candles,
clink, tink, sighs, memories, exhausted
dish towels, bed.
Crystal, sparkle, light
and crisp, cold dark! Stars, quiet,
glowing crèches.
Lillian Ford Decorates the Christmas Tree, 2020
WINTER POEM
—Lillian Ford (age 7)
Warm fire in the house,
warm kittens by the fire,
sparkly decorations, candles on the tree,
candles above the fireplace in a dark room
snowing outside—a blizzard.
Kittens are purring while their mom licks them clean.
Smokey smell of the war crackling fire—
I hear the blizzard, but my jammies are warm—
hot chocolate with marshmallows and a candy cane
sticking out of the top.
The wind is loud outside, banging against the house.
I can feel the kittens breathing on me,
their tummies going up and down slowly.
I feel them twitching in their sleep. They’re dreaming.
I’m so warm and glad that I’m in the house.
Under the snow there are houses for snow people
and it’s warm because it’s a blanket of snow.
A whole world of snow.
I’m almost asleep under the kittens under the tree,
by the fire with Christmas lights and presents
and kittens still dreaming.
—Lillian Ford (age 7)
Warm fire in the house,
warm kittens by the fire,
sparkly decorations, candles on the tree,
candles above the fireplace in a dark room
snowing outside—a blizzard.
Kittens are purring while their mom licks them clean.
Smokey smell of the war crackling fire—
I hear the blizzard, but my jammies are warm—
hot chocolate with marshmallows and a candy cane
sticking out of the top.
The wind is loud outside, banging against the house.
I can feel the kittens breathing on me,
their tummies going up and down slowly.
I feel them twitching in their sleep. They’re dreaming.
I’m so warm and glad that I’m in the house.
Under the snow there are houses for snow people
and it’s warm because it’s a blanket of snow.
A whole world of snow.
I’m almost asleep under the kittens under the tree,
by the fire with Christmas lights and presents
and kittens still dreaming.
—Art by Lillian Ford
LET’S LIGHT THE LIGHTS!
—Janet L. Pantoja, Woodinville, WA
Let’s light the lights of Christmas—
it’s that time of year.
Yes, let’s light the lights . . .
and celebrate the traditions we hold dear.
Gather the family and search for the perfect tree,
decorate it with ornaments, candy canes,
colored lights and lots of filigree.
Put lights outside too and a wreath on the door;
hang Christmas stockings . . .
in readiness for Christmas Morn.
Wrap lots of presents and pile them under the tree,
it’s the season for giving and sharing
with friends, neighbors and family;
prepare a festive Christmas meal
that will be a culinary delight—
roast beef, turkey or ham, veggies,
fruit cake, plethora of cookies and pie.
After the great Christmas feast has been eaten
and all is said and done,
presents are opened, Carols have been sung,
Yule log burns warmly on the hearth,
and children wait for Christmas Day,
gather the family around—
let the meaning of Christmas be parleyed.
The true Christmas story is not about mistletoe,
holiday parties filled with cheer,
or Santa Claus with a sleigh full of presents
scaling rooftops with his reindeer.
It’s not about shop ‘til you drop,
Christmas dinners and Christmas trees,
roasted chestnuts, sipping eggnog
or stockings hung on Christmas Eve.
It’s the story of Eternal Light,
the Christ-message—
Emmanuel, or God with us,
seen in ages past by Abraham, the Prophets,
Jacob, Daniel, David and Moses.
It’s the story of God’s love for all mankind—
one Father-Mother God, one eternal Life—
for Jews and Christians alike.
It’s the never-ending story
of the Christ-idea that must be told,
the humble birth of the Jewish babe Jesus
born in Bethlehem in days of old,
of angels, or God’s thoughts, that illumined
Virgin Mary’s spiritual sense,
and a message to Joseph . . .
“fear not, take Mary as your wife” . . .
while he was at rest.
It’s the story of the brilliant star beheld
by shepherds tending flocks at night,
of wise men from the east with gifts
who followed the same guiding light.
Of the ever-present Christ illumining
benighted material consciousness,
demonstrated in healing words and works
of the Jewish man, Rabboni Jesus.
So let’s light the lights of Christmas—
it’s that time of year.
Yes, let’s light the lights . . .
and celebrate the traditions we hold dear!
—Janet L. Pantoja, Woodinville, WA
Let’s light the lights of Christmas—
it’s that time of year.
Yes, let’s light the lights . . .
and celebrate the traditions we hold dear.
Gather the family and search for the perfect tree,
decorate it with ornaments, candy canes,
colored lights and lots of filigree.
Put lights outside too and a wreath on the door;
hang Christmas stockings . . .
in readiness for Christmas Morn.
Wrap lots of presents and pile them under the tree,
it’s the season for giving and sharing
with friends, neighbors and family;
prepare a festive Christmas meal
that will be a culinary delight—
roast beef, turkey or ham, veggies,
fruit cake, plethora of cookies and pie.
After the great Christmas feast has been eaten
and all is said and done,
presents are opened, Carols have been sung,
Yule log burns warmly on the hearth,
and children wait for Christmas Day,
gather the family around—
let the meaning of Christmas be parleyed.
The true Christmas story is not about mistletoe,
holiday parties filled with cheer,
or Santa Claus with a sleigh full of presents
scaling rooftops with his reindeer.
It’s not about shop ‘til you drop,
Christmas dinners and Christmas trees,
roasted chestnuts, sipping eggnog
or stockings hung on Christmas Eve.
It’s the story of Eternal Light,
the Christ-message—
Emmanuel, or God with us,
seen in ages past by Abraham, the Prophets,
Jacob, Daniel, David and Moses.
It’s the story of God’s love for all mankind—
one Father-Mother God, one eternal Life—
for Jews and Christians alike.
It’s the never-ending story
of the Christ-idea that must be told,
the humble birth of the Jewish babe Jesus
born in Bethlehem in days of old,
of angels, or God’s thoughts, that illumined
Virgin Mary’s spiritual sense,
and a message to Joseph . . .
“fear not, take Mary as your wife” . . .
while he was at rest.
It’s the story of the brilliant star beheld
by shepherds tending flocks at night,
of wise men from the east with gifts
who followed the same guiding light.
Of the ever-present Christ illumining
benighted material consciousness,
demonstrated in healing words and works
of the Jewish man, Rabboni Jesus.
So let’s light the lights of Christmas—
it’s that time of year.
Yes, let’s light the lights . . .
and celebrate the traditions we hold dear!
Happy Holidays from Carol Louise Moon and Barkley!
Today’s LittleNip:
CHRISTMAS CHOIR
—Carol Louise Moon, Placerville, CA
Even and uneven clouds glide,
ingress and egress the winter blue.
Eager birds, landing side by side
in holy assembly on pew
of branches, sing their hymns on cue.
____________________
—Medusa, thanking our poets today for their visions of holiday cheer—including the debut of Lillian Ford, age 7, granddaughter of Carol Eve Ford!
—Public Domain Photo
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