Oh, Holy Night?

O h, holy night,
The screen is brightly shining.
We're going to watch Charlie Brown's Christmas Day!
Long will we sit
Enthralled by large-screen splendour,
See Santa's elves, and the Nutcracker Suite.

A thrill of hope; there's Dickens and Walt Disney,
But them's the breaks; they're in the same half-hour.

Haul out the cheese!
Oh, bring the nuts and cookies!
The night is young, we'll turn on the VCR.
Oh, night divine,
Tonight we'll watch it all!

(To be sung to the tune of -you guessed it!)

©Susannah Anderson, 1997
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The Best Lights

The best lights are the loneliest:

first star of the evening
beacon on the mountain
moonlight on the snow

the tiniest:

a match scraped, flaring briefly
tealights on our table
embers in the grate

one late pair of headlights,
coming home
candle in my window
lantern by the path

one shining, golden memory
--the best lights and the warmest--
a friend like you
a song

Shepherds in the Night

A nd there were in the same country......

"It's a cold night, tonight."
"Colder than yesterday."
"The sheep seem contented, though."
"I would be, too, with a coat that thick."
"Yeah, for sure."

"Got any more wood?"
"Couple of armfuls, enough for the night."
"Sure is cold."
"Yeah."

"Ever notice, when it's the coldest,"
"That's tonight."
"Yeah, well, the stars seem brightest."
"Yeah. Sure is cold."

"Sounds travel farther, too, on a cold night.
Hear the kids singing in the town?"
"So late?
It's too cold; they should be in bed.
Way too cold for kids.

Are you sure that's the kids?
Sounds like it's way up on the mountains.
But clear, though, with this cold."

"Wonder who it is."
"Don't know the song, either.
Makes me feel warm."
"Me, too. "

"Stars are brighter now; look up."

--and the glory of the Lord shone round about them...

May the angels' song warm your heart this Christmas

©Susannah Anderson, 1998