I did celebrate Christmas outside with my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson last Saturday. It was wonderful to see and talk with them, but it was also all too brief. I certainly hope 2021 will be different. Today, I'm off to my daughter's house here in town and will celebrate with her, my son-in-law, and the two granddaughters. We will have fun, certainly, but a sadness lingers, too.
Wishing everyone a special holiday, today for a Merry Christmas. Hanukkah is over and I hope your celebrations were special. Kwanzaa begins Saturday and ends on January 1st. Whatever your special days, may you find peace and joy!
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| This used to be my "kitchen tree', but no room there now, so on a living room shelf. Imogene created a star for its top! |
I shared this story years ago and want everyone to know it, thus posting again. A few years ago, a friend who always sends poems in her cards sent the poem BC:AD by UA Fanthorpe. At that time, I did not know this poet or the poem, but it made me want to know more. Fanthorpe has an amazing gift of word knowledge, paring down to what must be written, and then no more, what all poets attempt with varied success. I love the different paths she takes by looking at known topics as new ones.
You can find three of her poems with two others that Fanthorpe wrote about
Christmas here: "The Reindeer Report", "What The Donkey Saw", and "Not the Millennium". In 2002, the poet’s Christmas poems that she wrote and sent to friends for many years were collected into one volume, Christmas Poems.
Several people have set this poem to music, too, easily found by a Google search.
Happy Holidays everyone!
This is the beginning:
BC:AD
by UA Fanthorpe:
This was the moment when Before
Turned into After, and the future's
Uninvented timekeepers presented arms.
This was the moment when nothing
Happened. Only dull peace
Sprawled boringly over the earth.
Find the rest here!
I wouldn't mind some of that, " dull peace
ReplyDeleteSprawled boringly over the earth."
Sounds like a good, and positive change. I like Fanthorpe's sense of humor in her other two poems "What the Donkey Saw" and "Not the Millennium." And what a fun tree you have, with delightful ornaments! Merry Christmas Linda, to you and your family!
Thank you for the introduction to Fanthorpe and her poetry, Linda. Yes, I agree with Michelle ^ that we could all use some "dull peace". Wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas. Spending it with your granddaughters is such a blessing. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for introducing this poem to me. Dull peace sounds pretty good right now...as does walking into the kingdom of heaven. I hope you have some wonderful memory making moments with family today. Nothing beats that. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI love Imogene's star! I need her to make one for our tree -- the topper we bought our first Christmas together (1990) broke this year... we've made do this season and will hunt for a special new one for next year. So glad you've been able to spend at least a little time with family. xo
ReplyDelete"haphazard by starlight"---I'd love to travel that way sometime. Thank you for sharing, and being one of the lights of Poetry Friday. Many blessings on your family!
ReplyDeleteOh for that dull peace! Thank you so much for sharing this, and for your shares all year. You've helped me get through 2020!
ReplyDeleteNice! Thank you for posting as I am not familiar with this poet. Love "walked haphazard by starlight!" And the other poems as well.
ReplyDeleteHow I crave dull peace/Sprawled boringly!
ReplyDeleteThat second verse - aren't we all so ready for this? Hope you had a lovely holiday, Linda!
ReplyDeleteWhat a poem for our times, Linda. In one of the other poems you linked up with, I found these lines as pertinent to where I am right now.
ReplyDeleteMission in spite
Of all this
Accomplished –
Life is unusual but in the midst of darkeness (weather today) the light of love shared by family is felt. Even the Zoom meet up was one to keep as a memory.
Brief moments with family are sustaining me through this darkness. Possibilities await.
Happy Holidays to you, friend.
Like so many others, I'd be pleased to be bored by some "dull peace" these days. Thanks for sharing the link to the other Fanthorpe poems -- I loved reading about her Christmas card tradition and the problem with limited letters! I'm glad you had some time with family. Also, your kitchen Christmas tree is the BEST! I bet there's a story there. Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season for you and yours and thanks so much for your consistent positive present in the universe.
ReplyDeleteI love that the poet picked such a particular moment...and found it to be quite ordinary. Except for the farm workers and the members of the obscure Persian sect. (HA! Word choice, indeed!)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this poem and poet with us for Christmas. It made me want to know more as well, and I ordered a copy of Christmas Poems. I can't wait to read the rest of her poems. I'm glad you were able to have some holiday time with your family. I was able to have a nice long chat with my Kiddo in China. Wishing you (and all of America) a very happy new year!
ReplyDeleteWow, I love this poem, Linda! I don't know this poet. And I rarely click to read the rest of a poem because I like short poems, and usually clicking through leads to a very long poem. But I couldn't resist after the opening you shared. Loved the (short) rest of it, too. Merry Christmas, Linda! May it be filled with in-person expressions of love and also with good health and happiness.
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone. I'm so glad I shared this as many of you have not heard of this poet and I especially love the Christmas poems. Wishing everyone a nice week ahead. I loved every one of your posts, so uplifting to me in many ways for this final Poetry Friday.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Linda! I love the Fanthorpe (new poet to me) poem. That emphasis on the ordinary surrounding a savior's birth is profound. You are such a blessing to me and to the whole PF community. God bless you!
ReplyDeleteOh, that moment. Love how you've captured it!
ReplyDeleteThank you Margaret and Liz! This community is a special one!
ReplyDelete