CHRISTMAS EVE

A seasonal sonnet (click the Play button below to hear the audio version):

 

December Eleventh, chill and misty morning

I sat with laptop, plagued with writer’s block

Our semi-precious baubles hung, adorning

The Christmas tree; I tried to write, ad hoc

A verse to grace a card to greet the season

But how could I avoid the trite cliché?

To angels I could give no rhyme nor reason

Christmas! Oh what was there left to say?

Just then a sign came down as heaven sent

The mist dispersed, sun filled the room with glory

As if our domesticity was lent

The magic of a new though ancient story

The supernatural was not involved

And yet my Christmas message had been solved.

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!

6 thoughts on “CHRISTMAS EVE”
  • Jill harrison

    I. Happy Christmas to you and your family from the ‘Harrisons’ in York.

    Reply
  • Anne

    Thank you for all your posts. I noticed that on BBC4 tonight at 11.05pm GMT they are showing MR James The Ash Tree “Starring Edward Petherbridge and Lalla Ward”. Preceded by another MR James “Lost Hearts”. Happy Christmas to you and your family.

    Reply
  • Vicky

    Merry Christmas from a long-term reader of your blog, but a first-time commenter. Best wishes for the New Year too!

    Reply
  • Patricia DeCorsey

    Dearest Edward and Emily,
    We didn’t fall of the face of the earth! Looking for the right teaching job for me we ended up in Portland, Oregon. Well, just across the Mighty Columbia river, in the strange city of Vancouver, WA. I like this school, very authentic Montessori primary and the Pacific Northwest is indeed a stunningly beautiful place in this vast country. We moved here very recently as Jim has retired from Lawrence University. I miss everything I can possibly miss about the UK, mostly our friends and you both. Thank goodness for Facebook and its imperfect way to stay in touch at least with beautiful Dora. We shall write to you soon; this is just to wish you a peaceful Christmas and a spectacular 2019 in the meantime. Emma and Ben are well; Ben is about to finish school of violin making! I thought you’d like to know. All our love, Patricia and Jim

    Reply
  • valtas

    Truth and beauty, said simply – as ever. Thank you again, EP. Thanks also to Kathleen for her magic work in this blog.

    Reply
  • Linda Briggs

    Just wondering if you heard the sad news that your colleague and my friend Bernie Lloyd died in December. I first saw both of you in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1962 – my first experience of live Shakespeare.

    Reply

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