Joyce Dunn

The Christmas Lady



Posted: Monday, December 14, 2009

by

I hesitate to call this a poem, as I'm not sure it's a very good example of the genre', but it does describe what Christmas means to me.
 
 

THE CHRISTMAS LADY

 

In August, maybe September
the ideas begin to
insert themselves into her head.
 
October and the shopping begins.
The ideas continue to expand.
She sees something
at an art fair and
impulsively buys it.
Something she knows her
daughter-in-law will love.
Maybe a pair of earrings
for her best friend.
 
Thanksgiving serves as a marker.
In a day or two
the CD player is loaded with
only Christmas songs.
Lights are strung outside.
The tree goes up.
Ornaments collected over forty years
are carefully placed.
Each one a memory.
Some were gifts or
brought home from school
by her children.
Some purchased by her,
some made by her. 
 
The ideas continue.
The list of what she has
purchased for who expands.
Early December and the
shopping is nearly completed,
by logical standards.
But for her it's rarely completed
before December 24th. 
 
The list needs re-checking,
the ideas won't stay linear.
Four more things pop up
that one son would love.
Now she needs to pare
down that number
or find four more ideas
for her other sons.
 
 Not because they count
or keep track.
But because she does.
They are each loved equally.
Their gifts must reflect that. 
 
Finally- -or already- -
it's December 24th,
the day they celebrate Christmas.
No more time to
indulge her passion
of choosing gifts for those she loves. 
 
Her children arrive with their gifts,
the tree begins to disappear
behind stacks of bright packages.
First dinner, jokes, horseplay.
Finally it's time for the gifts.
Each person taking turns opening
one so all can enjoy the process.                                                                         
 

The evening ends and
Christmas is almost over.
When they were small it
continued on Christmas morning
with gifts from Santa.
And because she is reluctant
to let Christmas go for another year
she has continued the tradition.
Christmas morning finds one gift
for each under the tree from Santa
with bulging stockings on the mantle.
 

Now it's really over.
All that remains
is the clean up.
Piles of wrapping paper to the trash.
Boxes to be put away.
Kitchen to clean up.
 

The tree comes down
for it is a symbol
of anticipation.
Anticipation that will lie dormant
 until August, maybe September.
Joyce has been writing for her own enjoyment for many years, and only in the past few years has gained the courage to "go public" with her writing. She has had two books published, and is involved with the Fine Lines magazine as a special editor. Her writing primarily reflects her own experiences, or the life experiences she has observed in others. She has her own blog, New Post on my blog: http://jottingsfromjoyce.over-blog.com/ Then click on " view comments" in the green box to read the blog.

Her website is www.strinz.com/healing.

Joyce would like to add that she always welcomes constructive criticism comments.

This Article has been viewed 257 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)
» left by Carolyn Tytler
 2 years 41 days ago.
34 fans.
You've caught the spirit of the season very well. Thank you, Joyce.
» left by Joyce Dunn 2 years 41 days ago.
34 fans.
Thanks Carolyn. I'm glad you enjoyed this.
» left by Peter Sams
 2 years 36 days ago.
5 fans.
Thank you Joyce for sharing this wonderful Christmas poem.
 
Looking forward to read more of your articles.
 
Wish you a Merry Christmas.
 
Kind regards,
 
Peter
» left by Joyce Dunn 2 years 36 days ago.
34 fans.
Thanks Peter, I'm glad you enjoyed it. And thanks for joining my fan club.
 
Hope your Holidays are wonderful.
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