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Open Poetry #1
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Artur Hawkwing
Member
since 1999-06-30
Posts 444
USA

0 posted 1999-08-13 08:56 PM


christmas light

Twas a wintry night long, long ago
and you could hear Jingle Bells being sung,
a breath of air, and the chill froze it,
and tall houses gleamed in the night-
frozen with red, green, white lights;
there, thru the window, in a room,
I was spawled on the floor playing Nintendo,
when my parents said: "Time to go,
we are going to see the christmas lights."
I groaned, hating christmas lights,
but off I went, anyway, out into the cold,
with ear muffs and heavy coat and mittens,
while the frost stung my nose-
abruptly, I had a cold, and I felt terrible,
but off, in the cold, Santa had me hauled;
the clouds were gone, the night vast,
when a chorus of "Hallelujah" erupted,
the music filling the night, and children
and old alike singing merrily;
Oh yea, their faces were blushin' red
but smiling, and distantly I remembered
what it had been once, like that,
with cymbals ringing, and the warmth;
the snow laid glittering thinly
on "evergreen" grass, southern winds stirring;
my father stopped to talk with neighbors,
and I pulled out another kleenex
and another, as the minutes rolled by,
christmas lights flashing around in a daze
red, white, yellow, green, aah!

It so streamed into the street
like a royal ballroom dance, lights white
and distorted with many dresses,
different colors and different accents-
but all my eyes saw was pure madness:
people laughing and embracing,
as I stifled a ~yawn~ and then ~sigh~...
when will madness this ever end?
I longed for the stars, I longed for heaven,
its splendours, its gentle kisses,
but why christmas lights, burn me, why?

The aroma of fresh spice in the air
fit the songs, and the mint in my mouth;
a night fit for a queenly feast indeed,
as I smelled the trees in the Woodlands,
in Texas, in the eastern region,
nigh the Gulf of Mexico, where summers
are hot as fire, but merry as sailors;
snow was rare, but lights were many,
tall houses filled the hills and forests,
and ol' Cochran would've been done proud!
I was a young lad of fifteen,
hater of winter, lover of summer,
hater of icy weather, lover of the raging seas,
as the sea called out, "ah hoy, matey!"

Those were my deep thoughts
fervently calling, fervently longing...

The wood reindeers fit nicely in the snow,
lights wrapping around its hinds
and body, and ascending upon trees-
I pleaded sweetly for the night to end,
but my dad said, "We're going for a drive,
Come on! It'll be fun!"
My terror unleashed, by far the worst,
more lights meant bad dreams,
but off the van went, a hour's drive
towards the non-badlands,
but to me, it was truly the badlands.

In the badlands, the houses shone
like fire in the sky, a huge fireball scattered,
one by one they were endlessly on fire;
angels topped some roofs, Mary sat there
with Jesus in the cradle, Joseph with the staff,
pertifying lights wove their siren songs
emitting forth, dashing in waves unbreakable,
music in everyone's eyes but mine.

Hours later, the van pulled into our cul-de-sac,
lights festooning with moon rain;
it was beautiful, evergreen with moonlight,
the trees tall, with hinges and limbs outward,
but truly disturbed by christmas lights.
Into the house I stepped, taking off shoes,
then running to the computer
and prompted it to boot, opened Netscape,
and found e-mail from my christmas pal;
the night was dark but moon spilled through
anon for now and eternity;

Pale the moon shines on my face
this night, this age, this world of darkness.

I am the child of the Phantom of the Opera.
 


[This message has been edited by Artur Hawkwing (edited 08-13-99).]

© Copyright 1999 Artur Hawkwing - All Rights Reserved
Dragoness
Senior Member
since 1999-08-07
Posts 513

1 posted 1999-08-13 09:50 PM


Nicely done!

------------------
Set you heart free and your mind will follow.

RainbowGirl
Member Elite
since 1999-07-31
Posts 3023
United Kingdom
2 posted 1999-08-13 10:19 PM


As I nestle in the nice warm
chimney corney
My memory goes back
to an inglenook of dreams
a secret place, a quiet place
where my shadows play
and firelight gives my mood
its theme
and if as a dreamer
I speak not a single word
but wait and listen silently
maybe someone
will have heard
his name?
His name is Memory....

I love Christmas, children's faces, warmth and cheer, our gifts of thought and caring, our dreams based on living and sharing, humour and making people smile...

Lovely thoughts Arthur...

HUGS

------------------
You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.




[This message has been edited by RainbowGirl (edited 08-13-99).]

Artur Hawkwing
Member
since 1999-06-30
Posts 444
USA
3 posted 1999-08-14 04:40 AM


Dragoness~ A smile back.

RainbowGirl~ Isn't Memory Lane a great road? I love the poem you gave, but I fear my time's too short for replying with a poem. But I will be glad to take your words to heart, that is a really good poem.

Lovely comment, liked it alot.



[This message has been edited by Artur Hawkwing (edited 08-14-99).]

Artur Hawkwing
Member
since 1999-06-30
Posts 444
USA
4 posted 1999-08-14 03:23 PM


I only post once a day, and I don't think I'm posting any today. So *snaps fingers* back to the top this goes...
thursdayschild
Member
since 1999-07-01
Posts 169
Houston, Tx.
5 posted 1999-08-14 05:34 PM


Classical! Truly loved this story...was captured from beginning to end. Thanks for sharing this Artur
Artur Hawkwing
Member
since 1999-06-30
Posts 444
USA
6 posted 1999-08-14 08:11 PM


thursdayschild~ One of my longest poems... I couldn't possibly ask for more than capturing it from beginning to end - the meaning's what counts! Thank you!!
Karibear
Junior Member
since 1999-06-30
Posts 10
San Jose, Ca, USA
7 posted 1999-08-15 01:46 AM


WOW! Sure shows how different Christmas can be without snow, or when you love Summer but hate Winter. A fine job of showing a different perspective of Christmas.

Even though it's my fav holiday : )

Karibear

------------------
Turn your face to the sunlight and you shall not see the shadow.
-- Helen Keller

Severn
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-17
Posts 7704

8 posted 1999-08-15 05:27 AM


Wow - what an epic. I'm completely unable to write long epics! Well, you 'hater of winter', you would love my christmases - I spend them in the nice hot summer of the Southern hemisphere! Loved those lines by the way, the ones including 'southern winds stirring'.
Nicole
Senior Member
since 1999-06-23
Posts 1835
Florida
9 posted 1999-08-16 04:09 PM


You have such a way with imagery! Excellent.

------------------
"Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of joy you must have somebody to divide it with." *Mark Twain*

Artur Hawkwing
Member
since 1999-06-30
Posts 444
USA
10 posted 1999-08-16 05:20 PM


Hey!

Karibear~ I agree, and great quote at the end! I have to type fast (I gotta leave, again!)... so thank you!

Severn~ sorry gotta run - I will response tonight. Till then.....

WhtDove
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-22
Posts 9245
Illinois
11 posted 1999-08-16 05:38 PM


This was well done! I too love summer more than winter. But oh, I love the christmas lights. I hope my poor kids don't feel that way. I take them every year(in the car of course), to go look at them!
Sally S.
Senior Member
since 1999-06-07
Posts 847
Ohio
12 posted 1999-08-16 05:49 PM


I REFUSE to reply to this until December....I mean it...I really do...oh man, I can't stop myself. I confess..it's a wonderful story...makes you think a bit. I just can't think about Christmas...yet. But, you make it a bit easier with such fine work. By the way.."Let it snow..Let it snow"....ah, you know the rest..LOL

P.S. This is the third time I've read it..Guess I'm a stubborn gal, huh?

Artur Hawkwing
Member
since 1999-06-30
Posts 444
USA
13 posted 1999-08-16 11:57 PM


And now to finish my thanks!

Severn- The sky is the limit! Always keep that in mind when writing a long piece of poetry work! Especially epics! And no why should I hate winter with all those pretty lights!? Quoth Jeff Rennicke:

quote:
Look closely at winter and it might make you sorry to see spring come.


Satiate- How could I resist? Imagery's like painting a picture, except with words!

Whtdove- Thank you, very much, and much more! Imagine it as a lake where the sun reflects off the icy surface, with water under the surface.

Sally- *wheezes in laughter* you don't mean you can't stop reading this poem? Then I really am sorry but I have to give you another one of those dreaded quotes .... quoth Lamar Dodd (who painted with a lifeless, paralyzed right hand):

quote:
Just try, my dear. Courage is nothing more than cussed stubbornness.


Oh yea, I admire this man for his courage! Don't you think I would do the same for you, reading a long epic poem three times, even by me?..LOL

Now, to explain the meaning in the last sentence ...

---------------------------------------------------
Why did I bother to put in the line "I am the child of the Phantom of the Opera"?

It was a hiding from the world, a hiding from the "christmas lights". Or in other words, the good things in life that you don't want to miss out on.
 


[This message has been edited by Artur Hawkwing (edited 08-17-99).]

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