The doors are paper, the image small,
“Be patient, or he won’t come at all,”
A robin, pert and brightly bold,
“Bide your time, let the joy unfold.”
A sprig of holly, green and red
“He’ll know if you don’t go to bed.”
On a Tuesday, under electric light,
Each of us will, in turn, recite
A line or two that form a story
Of Mary and Joseph and God’s glory,
And in years to come, what will stick
Is how the nerves made Frank Smith sick.
“Calm down, don’t get too excited,”
But all that sugar just incited
Us to queasy tight rope walking,
To gleeful shrieks or wet-faced squawking,
Yet still, reflected in our tears,
Those fairy lights we’d had for years,
And every year we’d have to search
For the bulb that left us in the lurch,
And dimmed the tree to tinselled dark,
Our effervescence slumped… but Hark!
The Herald! Angels Sing!
We raised our voices to the King,
Unsure if that was Jesus, or instead
If we prayed to the man in red,
Who there, behind the final door
Promised us so much more
Than everlasting life and love –
The toy that we’d been dreaming of!
“You’ll just have to wait and see.”
And we would curl up on a knee,
Cat-like, take our comfort lightly
Warm and safe and fizzing slightly
With some unformed intuition
A knowledge just beyond cognition,
That wanting risks a greater pain,
But if we don’t, if we abstain
From asking for that greatest gift,
But chose to feel with fearful thrift,
We might miss out on times like these,
Sheltered, held, on willing knees,
Waiting, still, for the crack of dawn
Imagining that paper torn
Not knowing then what so touched our heart,
That waiting, trusting, is the best part.
About the Creator
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More stories from Hannah Moore and writers in Poets and other communities.
Comments (49)
Wonderful poem. This challenge was before I joined, so I am going back reading, Enjoyed it thoroughly
I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Hannah I missed this one and am sad for it This truly is Christmas
Terrific! Great work!
Congratulations on placing Hannah!
Congratulations 🎊 You made the List. What a great Christmas 🎄 Present. You are on a roll! Vocal Challenge 🏆 winner
Merry Christmas! Congratulations on placing Hannah! 🎉🎉🎉
This is so well crafted, Hannah! Congratulations on placing!
Congratulations, Hannah! Very pleased to see this piece on the podium! Merry Christmas!
Congratulations on Top Story & the runner up win!!!
Fantastic 🥳… Congratulations on T.S & Runner-Up✅. Your poem brought back memories, especially: “Those fairy lights we’d had for years, And every year we’d have to search For the bulb that left us in the lurch, And dimmed the tree to tinselled dark, Our effervescence slumped… but Hark! The Herald! Angels Sing! We raised our voices to the King,” 🤗
Hannah, congrats!! 🥳🥳🥳🥳
Wooohooooo congratulations on your win! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Beautifully clever, vivid, and profound - congrats on well-deserved recognition! I loved all of this, and particularly the poignant closing line.
Congratulations on runner up - well deserved.
yay! congrats, lass!
Congrats, Hannah. 👏
Yay Hannah!!! Congrats on honourable mention on the Holiday Reflection in verse challenge!! 🎉
Back to say congratulations on placing in the challenge with this amazing poem.
What a lovely and wistful poem of Christmas. Amazing. Congratulations on the Top Story.
It's great!! And fun!😉💗💕
Unfortunately, Jesus does seem to have competition this time of year. But I will choose Him over the man in red always. Loved your Christmas memories of 1983.
You really cinched it with the last line! The trust we put in those we love, and that place where love is returned was all the season should ever have been about, regardless what the greater culture may want us to believe (or buy). Well-wrought!
Omg did you know you can buy Xanax just look two comments down. Like the way you wove this and I was always praying to the red for toys
Outstanding!