Anyone want a Christmas poem? I wrote this a considerable number of years ago when the kids were at primary school. Home-made Nativities just hit the heart, don't they?
Angel Hems by Jan Jones
Today the sky is dark, clouds lie in wait
I’m sewing tinsel for an angel hem
The first drops hit me as I reach the gate
At school and wonder why it’s always them
Who’ve lost their gloves and bags and by the way
We should have had our stuff - I try to stem
The flood of petty grievance of their day
And shield them from the rain slant-driving down
As Mary shielded Jesus in the hay
Did she know then that he would wear a crown
Not like my son’s, all glitter and gold paint
As fits a King, but thorns and greeny-brown?
She must have known, but put aside the taint
Of things to come by calling him a boy
Like any other. Oh no, not a saint -
Just Jesus bringing visitors and joy
Just Jesus asking questions to make sense
Just Jesus with a woolly lamb his toy.
To make the barn they’ve borrowed someone’s fence
My daughter’s tinsel snags the cardboard stall
.... the Natal magic smooths away pretence
Small wonder that He railed against the call
From Christmas, Easter is no time at all.
(By the way, there's a special term for the form of this poem. I can't remember what it is for the moment, but I'll look it up and post later. Unless anyone else gets in first, of course!)
8 comments:
Lovely poem, Jan.
'Tis a villanelle. (Blimey, having to rummage back to my undergraduate days *g* - before I reached your note, something in the back of my mind was saying 'Jan's using a very clever verse form here').
We've just had our last nativity (and this was the last crown, with glitter and stick-on jewels). So you've given me a misty-eyed moment to remember. Thanks.
Cheers, Kate! Saves me having to look it up!
Glad you liked the poem.
misty-eyed is exactly what it brought me....
Happy Christmas
love
lizx
Happy Christmas to you too, Liz.
Grab the moments when you can get 'em.
That's a gorgeous poem, Jan, thanks for sharing. And thanks to Kate for putting me out of my ignorance.
Somewhere I have a picture of my youngest as "Mary" in the playgroup nativity. Definitely one for the wedding photo wall, I think!
Happy Christmas, Jan and a terrific New Year to you and yours.
Thank you, Liz. A very happy Christmas to you.
I remember that hem... it was really scratchy but looked oh so pretty.
It made me smile at the memories too. Doubt I'd fit the dress through, maybe we could donate it to emma if/when she needs it?
Good plan! And it was pretty, wasn't it?
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