Entries for Limeydawg's Year's End Contest

LimeyDawg

Scars are poems too
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Please vote for your TOP 3 ONLY via PM to me. Thank you all for entering, and good luck. Voting ends December 15, so don't procrastinate.

1-Festivals of Light

Surely darkness comprehends the light:
encircles it, surrounds, curtails its length.
In this time of longer, deeper night
the growing dark saps love and life and strength.​

This is not new; with lamp oil, wax and tallow
Our mothers' mothers long have done the same.
In winter's shortening days when fields lay fallow
they called the sun back with a hallowed flame.​

Diwali, Christmas, St. Lucia's Day:
we light the candles, nurse each tiny spark.
Chanukah and Solstice, each a way
affirming light and life amid the dark.​

So in the darkness of each dying year,
I kindle light to cast out ancient fear.​

2-Christmas Without You

Christmas without you
is just like Christmas with,
except for a few differences
I've kept on this list.​

The turkey is dryer,
the stuffing is bland
the snow is all yellow,
there's no honeybaked hams
in the oven.​

There's no pumpkin flavor
in the pumpkin pies
There's no nog nor egg
in my egg nog surprise​

The stockings are empty
the mantle is bare
The bed is emptier
How I wish you were there
with your lovin'.​

Christmas without you is like
waking up on christmas morn
and rushing down to that great big tree
and all those colorful lights
and seeing absolutely nothing beneath it
because
there really is no Santa Claus
after all.​

3-Reality X-mas 2008

Christmas is supposed to be a happy time of year,
I’m just worried how I’m gonna pay for all the gear.
Maggie dreams of I-Pod; Kathleen wants X-Box;
Jason just wants to get well; he’s got the chicken pox,
and then he’ll ask me for the moon the way they always do
but I can’t pay those lunar costs on a wage from Payless Shoes.​

Jenny wants what Maggie gets, but just a little more.
Andrew, like his father, loves to hear an engine roar.
Kanesha demands corn rows – you think that doesn’t cost?
“It’s half my heritage,” she claims, “and culture mustn’t be lost.”
[Her daddy looked like Denzel -- man! the best I ever had.
If our little girl had been a son would he still be a dead-beat dad?]​

Then there’s my baby Carole born at Christmas time last year
with platinum hair and big blue eyes, she’s mommy’s ‘angel-dear.’
She’s growing fast and needs new clothes, in fact all of them do,
they’ve outgrown shirts and jeans and skirts and every pair of shoes.
There’s all those hungry mouths to feed, especially Christmas Day;
with turkey and the trimmings -- they don’t give that away!​

For me, I’d like a steady man who stays around a while
and maybe we'd get married and do it up Vegas style.
Of course he’d have to love my kids and have a real good job;
my last boyfriend with one of those was Jenny’s father, Bob.
So much for wishful thinking, it’s just not in the stars
I guess I’ll get a second job; stop saving toward a car.​

Whatever... ‘tis the season. We sure could use some cheer,
so Merry Christmas to us all and a prosperous New Year.​

4-December Fever

My last steak crackles on the pan
like a scratchy record,
red as Autumn,
burning by the same wintry fire
that bends men through streets,
handsome and turtle-shelled in coats,
to the night-time offices
of love past November.​

The oil in my pan sings and spits
with the same december fever
that melts women to wine,
the crooks
of their boyfriend's arms.​

5-The Purrfect Man

It was just before Christmas and throughout the city
The only one stirring was one busy kitty.
She’d planned many days for a holiday treat.
One special and sweet for her children to eat.​

When she knew beyond doubt that her babies were sleeping,
As midnight was striking, she softly went creeping.
Her kitchen was waiting with spicy supplies.
She got right to work on her tasty surprise.​

With her apron tied ‘round her she reached for her cookbook.
But finding no recipe turned to her facebook.
She gathered ingredients fresh as new snow
And mixed them together into a stiff dough.​

Soon the air came alive with the scents of her baking.
The gingerbread man in the oven was waking.
Bright cinnamon eyes and broad licorice smile
Were getting quite warm on that cooking stone tile.​

At the chime of the timer the cat donned her mittens.
With visions of joyful sounds from her kittens
She opened the door to remove the small man
But squeaked in alarm when he jumped from the pan.​

“It’s a tasty confection you are, nothing more, sir.
I’ll stop you before you are half to the door, sir.”
He laughed as he shouted, “You’ll never catch me!”
Then tripped on the rolling pin, snapping his knee.​

But the cat needn’t worry, her children were ready.
They stalked the small morsel with steps slow and steady.
They gobbled him up from his feet to his head.
Then bathing their faces, returned to their bed.​

6-Department Store Santa

The old man read the ad at the end of the day. It said, "Santa wanted, minimum wage."
He made an appointment for the next morn, hung up his best suit, a bit frayed and worn.​

Wrote down the directions, so he'd keep them straight, and then woke up early, so as not to be late.
Hurried a bit as the appointment time neared, he straightened his tie, and fluffed up his beard.​

When he walked in the door, the man looked up with a start. "Can you laugh, and be jolly? If so, you get the part."
The old man smiled gently, and said, "When should I begin?" Was answered, "Tomorrow! They'll come rushing in.​

He went home, came back early, to put on the suit. It fit him perfectly, right down to the boots,
The manager led him to the front of the store, where hundreds of toys were piled, ceiling to floor.
The doors slowly opened, and in came the crowd; some crying, some laughing; altogether quite loud.
Children of all shapes and sizes and hues; all of them hoping to get something new.​

The first little boy had a smudged little face, and Santa took time to tie up his lace.
Then he asked just what it was he would like. That request was quite simple; he wanted a bike.​

Papa nodded, Santa saw, and told the boy yes, then gave him a candy cane, which turned to a mess.
That lad went away and another one came, and Santa listened and nodded and another one came.
Then a tiny little girl came, and made her request. "Mine might be a bit harder that all of the rest.
My mother's in heaven and can't be here with me, as daddy and I had expected she'd be."​

"I made her this card, can you give it to her?"Santa's eyes filled with tears and he simply said, "Sure."
"Rudolph and I will take the reindeer. Your mother will have it, and she'll hold it near."​

Santa smoothed her hair softly, as she gave him a kiss. And he saw in her face what the others had missed.
That Christmas is, and has always been love. The real meaning of Christmas, is in heaven above.​

That department store Santa, at the end of the day, stopped by the church, and silently prayed,
for all of the children, whatever their ways; that God love them and keep them, for all of their days.​

7-The Spirit of Giving

He stands there
waiting for the signal to stop the cars.
Praying for the drivers to turn their heads.
Holding the sign.​

Bare hands red,
shaking with shivers from the cold,
trying to wrap himself in a threadbare plaid shirt.
Holding the sign.​

Too proud to make eye contact​

Too desperate not to make eye contact.​

I pull over,
open the car door and the heat leaks out.
Retrieve the new coat from the packages bulging
with too many presents.​

His eyes mist.
Clutching the coat like his world depends on it,
ignoring the second car that stops,
he runs away.​

I thought so,
says the other driver shaking her head, pulling back a dollar.
Off to barter the coat for a bottle of booze.
Disgusting.​

I follow him
behind the strip mall façade, between two dumpsters.
Protected from the wind, he wraps his wife and little girl
in the coat.​

My eyes mist.
I duck away as he turns to return to his corner,
still shivering, happy tears frozen on his cheeks.
To beg again.​



8-Dying into Spring
Tree, I wonder​
What cancer did you go through
To loose your golden hair​


That lies withered at your feet?
You must see the winter​
The dry grasses, brittle and rasping
And streams frozen in atrophy:​


How you must long to look away
Winter lingers​
Rigor mortis overtakes the earth
It keeps getting colder​


You must think, it will never end
Yes, you are weary​
Your numb fingers tremble
Eyelids crusted shut​


Bleeding sap from chapped lips
Tree, please listen​
The cancer is dying into spring
The chemo is working​
Your hair will grow again​

9-HOW SMALL

How small
He must have felt
as He lay within the womb,
this creature whose arms
had once embraced the cosmos,
and how frightened,
to watch ethereal glory
stiffen with flesh and bone.
Did He feel the crush
as He exited the woman’s vault,
only to endure the pain
of sunlight in His eyes?
Did He weep when He stubbed a toe
or scratched a shin,
and when He learned His father's craft,
did a splinter
pierce His hallowed skin?
Was He bothered by mosquitoes
who came to sip of holy blood?
As He closed His eyes each night,
what dreams unfolded
to disturb the sacred sleep?
I wonder if His knees
burned against the wood
when His mother heard
His bedtime prayers,
or if He found solace there,
bent upon the echo of the tree.​

10-sleigh bells ring

holly stuck in your teeth
are you listening?
decorating the tree
eggnog stains
tension snapped
santa bulb broke
we spoke;
mistletoe, cookies,
milk & red clothes
we eased down
profound
sweet talk
love’s gentle rain
my deer
have no fear
holiday cheer
love having you
near- Santa​

11-Our Christmas Tree

That sad little tree, it bore us no fruit-
still, we brought it in out of the rain
gave its boughs tinsels, trinkets and cane
alighted an angel atop for a deeper repute.​

We sang hymns around it, accompanied by flute,
offered it presents again and again,
that sad little tree.​

It lit up our parlour, sparkled minute,
echoed our voices in gathered refrain.
its heart bursting forward; hard to explain,
it brought us together without any fruit.
That sad little tree.​

12-CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

As daylight's length defaults on night;
leaves darkness to foreclose.​

Winter's noose starts drawing tight.
the sun succumbs to snows.​

We guard ourselves with decor bright,
and everything that glows.​

Like garland's sparkle, Christmas light,
tinsel strand and bows.​

They vex the spirits of the night,
and ward off winter woes.​

When sullen spirits take to flight.
The festive spirit grows.​

13-Christmas Metamorphosis

Christmas, once a snowflake,
Teasing, tickling
Light​

Wonder, full of vision,
Angels treetop
Sight​

Winters take on water,
Water freezes
Tight​

Albums, missing photos,
Shadows darken
Awe​

Christmas, disappearing,
Tinsel turns to
Straw​

Babies, fire of Yuletide,
Ice begins to
Thaw​

Snowflakes, freshly falling,
Tongue darts out to
Hold​

Christmas, now a present,
Kindles embers
Old​

Toddlers, teasing, tickling -
Rust morphs into
Gold​

14-Ornamental Memories

As a child I liked to drift into sleep
snuggled within our living room couch,
watching the lights of the Christmas Tree
play off the inside of my eyelids.​

My dreams were always about wonder,
as if the glowing multi-colors
painted glorious landscapes
that reflected deep within my soul.​

The arrival of travelers were spontaneous
like the Three Wise Men in the night,
bringing gifts and pleasant laughter
good times and the suspension of my bedtime rules.​

Singing was random and not frowned upon as useless noise,
out of tune youth, warbling oldsters, perfect pitch parents,
they all belted forth joy, joy having no rhythm or rhyme.
All such outbursts that were normally forbidden, temporary allowed.​

At midnight my big sister led little commando teams
under the Christmas Tree to open gifts surreptitiously
to peak at packages meant to surprise us just a few days later
curiosity stifling giggles and rendering us all into mini-Ninjas.​

We gladly feigned surprise on Christmas Day
the food, the chaos, covering our flimsy acting ability
hugs and kisses masking our treachery the night before
with the truth of our thankfulness throwing up an impenetrable smokescreen.​

The innocence, lost cousins, missing loved ones long since passed
leave me feeling Fall and Winter more profoundly than I ever remember them being.
The piles of leaves and snow accumulating upon the ground of time memory
making formless drifts upon the horizon of my mind.​

15-All is Bright

I roll through December’s America,
the land a blur outside my window,
listening to Christmas on the radio.​

The street lights are silent sentinels
all of them the same
on interstates ten and twenty five.​

Once I reach the hills of Somerset,
I’ll dig my family’s fortune.
A new house for my wife,
and the world for my daughter.

I see my first snow in Ohio
and shiver in a cold I’ve never known.
The chains bite my fingers,
my blood seeps hotly
red in the bleak gray land.​

once I reach those golden hills.
I’ll dig my family’s fortune.
A ruby for my wife,
and the world for my daughter,

I arrive to meet the foreman
his face is ashen as the land.
I know before he says the words,
“no work, no work left here.”​

I turn to face the night-
silent before me​

16-Christmas Eve

Whispers of winter white
dance upon the rooftop,
sprinkle across the windowpanes,
envelop my home.
Jewels that twinkle bright
bounce along the branches,
hugging the evergreen so tight,
lighting up my home.
Soft strains of Silent Night
echo on the airwaves,
touching and lifting hearts this night,
peace will warm my home.​

17-The Gleaming Red Fire Truck

With Christmas Eve closing, no time to stop
Elves in a flurry in Santa’s Workshop
Snelvin McElvin wrapped one last with glee
A gleaming red fire truck for Linus Dupree​

When away raced the sleigh, the Big Toy Bag pitched
Elves watching in fright, “A Christmas night glitch!”
As the Toy Bag flew open, one package dropped
Way down to the snow, it fell with a “plop!”​

Snelvin McElvin ran up to the toy
Meant for a Sandusky, Ohio boy
Peeked into the package, and what did he see?
That gleaming red fire truck for Linus Dupree!​

With Santa long gone, Snelvin did panic
His elfin hands sweaty, his elfin brain manic
Then came to his senses, “The old back-up plan!”
And off to the North Pole stables he ran​

Tucking directions down deep in his pocket,
He saddled a reindeer, one they called “Rocket”
Waved to his partners, then up to the sky-oh
Snelvin and Rocket raced off to Ohio​

With moments to spare, they hit the rooftop
With package in hand, Snelvin did drop
Down through the chimney, then past the teevee
Snuggled the present up under the tree​

Sun rising, oh no! Then the flue door slammed tight!
A dive out the cat’s door, then quick out of sight
So off the elf soared, and what did he see?
That gleaming red fire truck with Linus Dupree​

18-Untitled

A penny, sir?
I beg your pardon?
It is Christmas and all.

What does that
have to do with me
young lout?

Everything, sir.

Everything.
 
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