This poem could be said to be my reply, mine and a growing number of people, who are beginning to despise the crassness and greed that ever is in abundance around us.
It is a plea to others beginning to see those wrongs around them, to get back to the reality of the season, peace, love, tolerance, brotherhood.


WHERE IS TRUTH IN A LIE

A cynic, you say
No heart, you say
Don’t have a heart, well
Perhaps
Or is it perhaps reversed
For where is truth in a lie
Where is giving in gimme, gimme
Where is sharing in price gouging
What is heart
To a politician that steps on us
The little man, in favor
Of wealth and power
How is it love
When we eat our fill
As others starve
Where is real wealth
In economies built
On what we do not need
Who, what, when, where
Is caring
When we say so what
Reaching for just ourselves
Ah well, what will be, will
But at least I will have my say
Try to live by ethics
Other than what I see
So that
When I say ‘Merry Christmas’
I will indeed say
I love you, brother, I wish you well
I accept your differences
As I hope you will accept me
Yes, and my differences from you
Knowing we are one
In God
Regardless of what he is called
By you or by me.

.........................................................................

From my own life, and working with people of many nationalities, a question has often haunted me. As a for-instance, asking why when I hear of a war and threats of war, one country or another. I look into that question a little bit.


ONE ON ONE




I do see
Love
Shining
In each one of us
I do see
Caring
But
What I do not see
Is that loving
Carry on
Beyond the season
And to that
I object
Are we letting
Someone else’s pride
Someone else’s ego
Rule our lives
For one on one
Man on man
All that nations
Seem to covet
Does not exist.

........................................................................

Many times, even though we see that a change is needed, we close our eyes in favor of instant profit, or we refuse to speak because it would put us in the ‘limelight’. We forgive ourselves for not speaking out because we say, ‘no one should expect us to risk our fortunes, our positions, or our lives, for something with no guarantees’.
Because of this we keep quiet, rich and poor. Who do we hurt besides ourselves? I give you a poem, PERHAPS.





PERHAPS




A child’s love
Is real
His feelings
Are not pretense
And
Left to his own
Perhaps
He
Could change
Our world
But
So it seems
That we would
Perpetuate
All that was
Cheating
That child
Every child
Of what might be
…In peace
and….
In Brotherhood.

.................................................................................

WHERE DOES IT GO




Love
Peace
Tolerance
Brotherhood
All
Echo loudly
From Merry Christmas
Where
Does it disappear
On January second
Of each year
Perhaps
We should all realize
That
Christmas feelings
Are meant to be
All year
While anything else
Is sacrilege
To that
Which all men
Hold dear.

..............................................................................

This poem is dedicated to the wasted years that have come and gone, again and again. It is a bit of a cynical takeoff from some of our Christmas carols, but, hopefully, if we are to survive, be realized and put into practice.



IF WE TRULY DID


Tis the season to be jolly
Tra, la, la, la
Beware man’s folly
Joy to the world
But turn off the television
God rest ye
Merry gentlemen
You have to close your minds
To all the pain
Around the world
First noel, but the next
May very well
Be our last
But, oh well
Let’s close our eyes
Good King Wenceslas
Looked out
And shared with one
When
Will we reach out in full
In brotherhood too
Here comes Santa Claus
Here comes Santa Claus
I hope that unknown blip
On a radar screen
Doesn’t start
The next world war
Then
Rudolph would really
Go down in history
Yes
This is cynical
But if we truly did
All that the season dictates
It would truly be
The beginning
Of the beginning.

LET US BOTTLE IT


For all that I say and have said
Indeed, that which I believe
The tree is still beautiful
Children’s happy joyous faces
Still a joy to see
And the message given
Through manner and song
Is still a beautiful one
And watching a child
Their excitement
On that day
Christmas morning
Is still exhilarating
Happiness
Amidst the tearing paper
Excited screams
The oohs and aahs
Yes
Christmas is a joyous time
I wish only
That we might share it
Bottle it and share it out
To all men, everywhere
Labelled perhaps
With the words
“God’s blessings to all men”
Or
“Peace on Earth
Good will to [all] men”.

.........................................................

ONE FOR A DAY


Find a tree
With equal branches
Reaching out to us
Tying it to the car
Our youngster
Tagging along
For his opinion
Sharing in finding
That treasure
For his family
Squaring the bottom
Setting it in the stand
Giving it a place
In our livingroom
Our lives
Then gathering
One and all
To decorate it
Smelling its perfume
As it invades our senses
With images
Of the coming day
Humming some bars from
Oh, Christmas Tree
Ah, yes
The family
For now
Is one.

.................................................................

This poem is to the great plans of mankind, which blossom at this season for a moment, and then fast or slow, disappear once more. We seem unable to hold those good thoughts beyond the moment.



ONCE EACH YEAR


It is decorated now
See it
The pretty lights
The tinsel so bright
Reflecting prism colors
With snow or angel hair
And there
Way up on top
An angel
Showing us the peace
She represents
The message
That is given us
Once each year
A white cloth beneath
Upon which
Slowly
As relatives come to visit
Gathers to itself
Piles of love
In colored paper
Such a beautiful time
So full of love
But then
As in our world
We tear
Rip it all apart
Again.

...................................................................................

Nature is forever showing us things and trying to teach us lessons, pointing out the way to a better way of life. We seem to be constantly and consistently blind to it.
Our native Indians have tried and is trying to give us messages from the planet itself, and from the natural life upon it. The planet can show us, natives can try to teach us, scientists can explain it, but it is all up to us to ‘do’ it.


LESSONS OF NATURE


Caroling angels
Smiling faces
Bright wreaths
On doorway and window
Ah yes
The season of love
Is upon us
Frosty trees
Blanketed in ice
Nature is decorating herself
Again, with the sun
Reflecting from the branches
Showing us diamonds
Of faith in tomorrow
The gentle snowfall
Dropping silently, gently
From the heavens
Above
Bespeak a virgin day
Tomorrow
Eliminating
The sorrows
Of the rest of the year
Perhaps mother nature
Is showing us
That she
Can do it for a day
But
It is up to us
To make the season
Last.

............................................................................

Oftentimes now I hear more and more, that people are dissatisfied with what Christmas has and is becoming. It is a disgrace to see the many new and improved ways of gouging money, often from those who can least afford it. They can do this because people are reaching out, at least for the moment, to that brotherhood of man.
Greed has a multi-legged octopus that is trying hard to worm their way into our very immortal souls.


A QUANDRY


A quandary
Do we perpetuate
The fallacies of yesteryear
And present again
A happy face
Perhaps
For a week
Or maybe two
Or do we say
What to us
Is a truth
From where we stand
That stores
Play Christmas carols
To hide
Rising prices
That government
Wants to say
We care
Although
Whether they do
Is anyone’s guess
But in those words
Is a silent plea
Leave me in power
What power? Why over us
Sooo, put on a happy face
Everyone does
To get
What they want
From each of us
And we, too
Do the same thing
So
Where is the Merry Christmas
In that.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happiness is many things
All encompassing
Purity of feelings
Parity with all
Yes, friends, strangers too

Never forgetting that we can
Eat while others do not
When we sit to celebrate

Yuletide festivities
Eating our fill, seemingly satisfied
At how the world turns, but please
Remember the gift of sharing.

..........................................................

GIFT OF LOVE

So locked
In a monetary world
We are sometimes insulted
By gifts
That our own ancestors
Would have
Cried for joy over
We let advertisers
Decide
What will make us happy
To receive
This Christmas time
Where is the joy
The glee
Because someone spent
Hours
Making something with love
Created
For just us alone
When will we sheep
Become
The human beings
We once were
Look
At your youngest child
Or the baby
Of your own baby
See the joy, the excitement
For that glorious day
That comes but once a year
The sparkle in little eyes
To match all the lights
All the pretty paper
Gifts given from the heart
Are more expensive than any
Purchased in a store
For that gift
Given of the heart
Is a small piece
Of that person
The rest
Just good advertising.

........................................................

We hear much talk about brotherhood of man as we and others still maintain that everyone else will be as happy as we are as soon as they start doing things out way, whether it is our way of life, or yet our religion.
God did not create one sect over another, and he created all men and women under the sun, so why is it, the question must be asked, does each religion feel the same warped way, that all will be well as soon as all the others join ‘us’. When will we finally realize that we are ‘one’ under God, who created us all, regardless what name we give to him. All men are our brothers, regardless of race, color or creed.

GOOD WILL TO [ALL] MEN

Celebrate what you will at this single season
It matters not at all
Unless
The joy, happiness
Generated on this special day
Is scattered day by day
Throughout the year
Not just to our own, but to all men
Then the meaning
Will truly have been understood
Good will to [all] men
Reaching out to others
Celebrating what they will
Realizing that though they may be different
Than we ourselves
They are still our brothers
Regardless if some see themselves
As ‘holier than thou’
Peace and happiness cannot exist
Without tolerance and love
For those who grow by different paths
For all that we must realize
Is that each man alive was created
By that self-same God
So to do other than love thy neighbour
Is to admit a truth about one’s self
That in fact
We are but warmongers
Hidden by a wreath and holy attitude
But still we can see
Bloodstained hands
NO matter their attitude
To us alone.

...........................................................................

What is the reason for the constant fighting between different creeds? What??? Ego. Each one wanting to feel that they have something that no one else has. Why? Power and Ego, that is what, with a pile of [in our case] green stuff thrown in.
If we can overcome things that constantly get in our way, then perhaps the true ‘Brotherhood Of Man’ IN GOD, may yet rise upon this earth and an age of peace yet be ours, or at the very least, to that of our children.

EVERY SOCIETY THE SAME

I would speak to you of dreams and things
Th imagery by which we convince ourselves
How righteous, tolerant, and loving we are
But the world around us screams……LIAR
I love to see the happiness in a child’s face
Singing carols of joy, happiness, brotherhood
Yet, unknown to this happy child
A hypocrite with bloody hands
Belittles another’s ways, and shows
The dark gray shadows covering all by EGO
That part of every man by which choices are made
Choices to share in that which is every man’s heritage
Or blinding us to thinking, showing, what some men teach
That ours is sthe only ‘right’ way, the only truth
That everyone will be happy only
When he or she embraces that which we are taught
But the silly, scary, awful, and dire truth
Is that each society thinks and believes that same thing
Now some will say Satan, but I say, only ego
For even to believe a fallen angel responsible
Is but a feeble excuse for men to cover that ego
That evil
For to have a world at peace requires one thing
Control that ego, put it in its proper place
Then there may rise upon this earth ‘true tolerance’
Allowing then to rise that which we all seek
Peace and the Brotherhood of Man.

.................................................................................

TIS THE SEASON

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SHADOWS



I smiled
In the land of Christmas trees
Lifted
By the secret whispers
Of the children
Pondering
The mystery
Of the coming day
Shutting out
Shuddering, horrific days
That seep
And ooze
Into the thoughts
Of everyday
Turn our heads from shadows
Of dire starvation
Go out
Buy our turkey and trimmings
Laugh and smile
With all of our friends
At jokes
That the starving man’s children
Would simply not understand
Yet they see those helping them
And wish them
A merry Christmas.

.....................................................................

REBIRTH


They hauled
That poor and bedraggled thing
Laid it on the vacuumed rug
To bleed
Until
The time came
When it would rise
With loving hands
Be transformed
Into a Christmas tree
Brightened
Brought to brilliant life
By love
With the oohs and aahs
Of shaky small hands
The loving children
Excitement
Gleaming from their eyes
Homemade ornaments
Placed with love and care
Dangling
From every single branch
For visiting friends
To share
Take one home, with love
So that part of our warm feelings
We can share with them
Our own
Special, special way
To say
Have a Merry Christmas.

..........................................

EXCITEMENT


Christmas trees
Shining lights
With giggling kids
Almost in sight
Little packages
Of love
Surrounding
The tower bright
Partially hidden
In tinsel forests
Sparkling
In the colored lights
Giving all
An eerie light
Filling us each
With the excitement
Of
The early morning light
When children’s eyes
Outshine
The Christmas tree
Midst tearing paper
Ribbons too
So we say
A very special
Merry Christmas
To each and everyone
Of you, from us.

............................................................

MERRY CHRISTMAS


Merrily we approach the day
Each year at this time
Ready to trim the tree
Reaching the angel high
Yes, awaiting the time we love

Caroling around the neighbourhood
Having the greatest time
Remembering childhood times
In some half remembered place
So dim and yet so dear
That always are so near
My children will remember too
And carry on with happiness

Sharing with their own, always.

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