| poetry... |
| Background on this poem... One Christmas Eve, I was feeling really down. I felt like I needed to get my mind off of my problems and do something for others. That was the year that the kids and I started our tradition of going to a rest-home on Christmas Eve. As we drove through town, the streets were empty. We saw a couple of churches with packed parking lots. Some homes looked like they had parties inside. When we arrived at the county hospital, it was very empty. There weren't any visitors at all, and only a handful of workers. I explained that the kids and I wanted to hand out some cards and candy canes. The nurse on duty took us around. The two older kids and I were ignored as all attention was focused on my 6 month old baby. "Please," the nurse said as we started to leave, having run out of candy. "Can you go down just one more hall? No one ever brings a baby in here." As we visited the last lady, I knew my perspective had forever changed. Tears rolled down her face as she touched my daughter's feet. As we drove away, I thought of the old lady still inside the hospital. Her time with her children was over. What was she thinking while she cried? Did she wish she'd spent more time rocking her babies and less time cleaning house? Did she regret the times she was too busy to read a bedtime story? Did she wish she'd talked on the phone less often? Was she thinking of the tiny hands of her own babies? As I tucked my children into bed, I thought, it's not too late for me. It's Christmas and I still have three kids to love. Something had bothered me earlier in the day, but now, looking down at the baby that had brought so many smiles, I couldn't remember what it was. It was Christmas in our home, in the rest-home, and long ago, in a stable, when another baby had shown up in the most unexpected of places. Christmas Joy Hark! My little angel singing, Deep within my ears it’s ringing. Sounds of shattered peace it’s bringing Midst the scattered toys she’s flinging. Shriek to battered ear is meeting, Deep within my mind it’s beating. News of peace disturbed repeating, Heralding a Christmas greeting. Bath is filled, she yells at washing, Deep within my head it’s noshing. Peace, the piercing scream is squashing, Kicking feet, the water sloshing. Jammie time, attempting, muddling, Deep into my neck she’s cuddling, Peace returning, o’er us huddling, Tears that fill my eyes are puddling. A lullaby to her I’m humming, Deep within my heart it’s strumming. Peace is here, it must be slumming, Sighs and yawns tell sleep is coming. Eyes are closed, no more peeping, Deep within my soul is weeping At the peace, consuming, creeping, My little Christmas angel’s sleeping. |
| By April Copyright 2005 Do not use or reproduce without permission |