Christmas Poem 2016

It is the month when the days
Grow darker and darker,
But there are colorful lights
On others’ houses here and there.

Diamond rings are selling for a thousand
Some cars for only 29 times more.
But bills are higher than last month
I place a leaf as a wreath on the door.

Christians say Christmas is for Christ
I conclude it is for children and money.
Where stands Goodwill and Charity?
When Aleppo is bombed and bombed.
I place a few quarters in the “Army’s” bucket,
Send $5 in a card to the deliverer of my newspaper.

Food banks have less food
Federal dollars going locally are cut.
Those on fixed incomes
Know their diets too are fixed.
My gift received this year is that
My wife breathes and laughs and is warm under the blanket.

No checks or goods go out this year
To family members far away.
In lieu this poem and promise go
Of bed and shelter and a meal
Should you our way wander,
And knowledge that you are written in our hearts
And each of you are golden in our love.

– Scott Harker

Some may think that this is a bleak poem, and maybe it is. But each stanza of the poem ends with notes of individual lights in the darkness.

I believe that the best of Christmas involves charity and goodwill – love and sharing. And many people around the country and around the world try harder during the Christmas Season in their actions to live those principles. But I see few signs that this is taking us to where we need to be on this planet.

Over many Christmases – I have seen many who practice the love of others, the joy of giving without reward, the sharing of bounty with strangers and who will continue to do so in the years ahead. But collectively, it does not seem enough. Why is there so much greed for material and power? Why is there so much blame? Why is there so much taking and killing? So much needless harming – small and large? After 2000+ years of Christmases, what has changed?

This year, my fellow citizens chose bigotry, fear and selfishness over wisdom, love and service in the Presidential election. The firewall against despots and madmen that is called the Electoral College failed… I am feeling the despair that real problems will not be solved, but that a great looting will take place and maybe a terrible war.

But then I remember, I am just one pixel in the screen of history and cannot see the whole picture – perhaps we have made progress. So I plan to love and share and do my best just because I prefer that challenge over the alternative.

I think there are a lot of good lines in this poem:

“I place a leaf as a wreath on the door.” and “My wife breathes and laughs and is warm under the blanket.” But truthfully, I could re-quote almost the whole poem here to show how much I love the language and sound of this poem.