Thoughts For Advent: Day Ten

A Poem for Day Ten

When we were small
the very word
"Christmas"
made us a little faint

There was nothing better than
a present
except, of course,
a mountain of them

And all on display
under this champion of
seasonal decorations
A fragrant tree, bedecked and shining

Christmas trumped all
Birthdays, Easter,
pool parties in the summer
Nothing came close

That it was about you
was a given a solemn nod
We loved that Baby Jesus meant
this kind of loot

Oh, we loved Baby Jesus too
But he did get a little lost
in all the wrapping

It was a hard reality
when Christmas
ceased to make us
ridiculously giddy

That first year
of lessened high
we felt sadly grown
and grieved our loss

But we settled in
Christmas was still lovely
in this newly adult
reality

Now with the vantage
of fifty years
I'm revisiting
that early wonder

Wish me well,
friends on the way
Here's to the journey
into joy

-lisa, 10 December, 2013