The old snow-packed trail
criss-crossed over the animal tracks
down the hill into the vale
where the opossums carried their young on their backs
and the rabbits had turned white with the snows
while the elk grew thick fur and gathered their does.
The distant cabin betrayed itself with a curl of smoke
from what appeared to be a blazing fire in the hearth.
A hearth probably decorated with the season's yield
of fruit and fir branches and choke
cherry berries and mistletoe brought down from the north
as well as tufts of old hay gleened from the south field.
The sleigh slid down the slippery slope on its way back
from the iconic white steepled church on a hilltop
that had poured forth its people each carrying a sack
of cards and gifts that they would take to the local mailstop
and distribute to the folks lucky enough to live
in such as pristine and idyllic area, lucky enough to give
to their fellow man whole-heartedly accompanied by song
and wassail as they made their way through the throng
of snow-laden pine trees and fir.
The heart it doth stir!
So, arriving home at last, they plodded into the warm house
and greeted the grandparents who were too old to have left
and driven all over the chilled lands in an open sleigh.
Greeted by the smell of chestnuts roasting, they
slurped down the warm remnants of granpa's hot-buttered rum
and passed around the wassail, grateful to be together
on this special night that comes only once per year.
Happy Thanksgiving!, they sang
as the doorbell rang
and still more guests
poured into the house like warm honey,
their cheer sticking around
for the rest of the year
and into the next.
Not all the world's money
could buy this much happiness.
God bless us, they cried, God bless us every one!
And the pleasant night wore on around them outside their door,
with animals gathering in the light beaming from their
windows and falling stars lighting up the night
for brief, wonderous seconds.
Spending their short lives for those below.
Below in the snow.
------------------------------------------
mindbringer, 21 November 2012
criss-crossed over the animal tracks
down the hill into the vale
where the opossums carried their young on their backs
and the rabbits had turned white with the snows
while the elk grew thick fur and gathered their does.
The distant cabin betrayed itself with a curl of smoke
from what appeared to be a blazing fire in the hearth.
A hearth probably decorated with the season's yield
of fruit and fir branches and choke
cherry berries and mistletoe brought down from the north
as well as tufts of old hay gleened from the south field.
The sleigh slid down the slippery slope on its way back
from the iconic white steepled church on a hilltop
that had poured forth its people each carrying a sack
of cards and gifts that they would take to the local mailstop
and distribute to the folks lucky enough to live
in such as pristine and idyllic area, lucky enough to give
to their fellow man whole-heartedly accompanied by song
and wassail as they made their way through the throng
of snow-laden pine trees and fir.
The heart it doth stir!
So, arriving home at last, they plodded into the warm house
and greeted the grandparents who were too old to have left
and driven all over the chilled lands in an open sleigh.
Greeted by the smell of chestnuts roasting, they
slurped down the warm remnants of granpa's hot-buttered rum
and passed around the wassail, grateful to be together
on this special night that comes only once per year.
Happy Thanksgiving!, they sang
as the doorbell rang
and still more guests
poured into the house like warm honey,
their cheer sticking around
for the rest of the year
and into the next.
Not all the world's money
could buy this much happiness.
God bless us, they cried, God bless us every one!
And the pleasant night wore on around them outside their door,
with animals gathering in the light beaming from their
windows and falling stars lighting up the night
for brief, wonderous seconds.
Spending their short lives for those below.
Below in the snow.
------------------------------------------
mindbringer, 21 November 2012
