No Christmas (on Christmas Day)

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: LIFE SONGS

No Christmas

 

In the little town of Bethlehem

Where a child was given birth

There is no prayer or celebration

There is no peace on earth

 

There will be no Christmas singing

No sounds of Christmas cheer

No bells of joy are ringing

Our comfort changed to fear

 

We may never be the same

At least that’s how it feels

It seems to me an awful shame

To lift the Christmas shield

 

For Christmas is for everyone

No matter their beliefs

A time to put down our guns

A time to breathe relief

 

The Love (on Christmas)

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: PEACE

The Love

 

Peace across the valley

Christmas bells are ringing

Waves of Christmas revelry

Boys and girls are singing

 

Where is the love that once we knew?

So freely given this time of year?

Where is the love that seemed so true?

Where is the Christmas cheer?

 

As children we loved everyone

Over time we learned to hate

Every daughter and every son

Was welcomed as our mate

 

Where is the love that grew on trees?

It seems so very far away

Where is the hand we gave for free?

Lost somehow along the way

 

We need to find the love again

To give the world new birth

To find the kindness deep within

For peace on planet earth

 

A Christmas Dream

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: LIFE SONGS

A Christmas Dream

 

In the hours of the deepest night

I awaken to a dream

I see a world of quiet comfort

Not a soul in desperate need

No homeless poor or hungry

A land of honey milk and mead

The people smile and welcome me

With wishes warm and sweet

Joyful music fills the air

The people on the streets

Are taken into firesides

With warm and tasty treats

No one yells and no one screams

There is no anger here

There is only gentle kindness

Filled with laughter and good cheer

 

There are people of all shapes

From round to pencil thin

There are people of all sizes

Like there have always been

There are people of every color

And every style of dress

They have a look of happiness

As if they’ve all been blessed

 

Not one of us feels lesser than

In this place we all are free

We feel a sense of wonder

We move with grace and ease

All our sorrows cast asunder

There is no sickness or disease

Contentment courses through the air

I marvel at this world of peace

Dream it if you dare

Dream it if you please

 

Peace on Earth

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: WAR & PEACE

Peace on Earth

 

In this moment of solemnity

As quiet comforts my soul

It seems a long hard road ahead when

Peace on earth sticks in my throat

When hope sometimes grows old

We shiver in our winter coats

We fight against the cold

 

Though our wish for peace is great

Our prayers are greater still

Those in the zone of war must wonder

How much our prayers are worth

Their friends and loved ones killed

They also prayed for peace on earth

As winter brought a chill

As Christmas brought a dearth

 

But pray for peace we must

In the winter of our darkest fears

For all the world seems hollow

Our yuletide glow seems dreary

And we would yield our winter cheer

Our songs and loving wishes

For a just and lasting peace this year

For peace on earth next year

 

The Shadow of Christmas

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: CORONAVIRUS SERIES

The Shadow of Christmas

 

The shadow of Christmas has fallen

On a tired and weary nation

The virus has metastasized

Like a deadly invocation

 

The holidays raised our spirits

And stimulated our senses

But in its wake it’s sad to say

It weakened our defenses

 

So now we face the consequence

Of Christmas cheer and sharing

We watch the virus soar and spread

And fear we’ll lose our bearing

 

The question we must ask ourselves:

Was it worth the cost?

So much pain and suffering

So many lives we’ve lost

 

Music City (Christmas in Nashville)

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: CHRISTMAS

Music City

 

I remember Christmas in Nashville

A city bursting with excitement

Where every person you met

Was a singer or a song

Where country paid the rent

But every kind of muse was alive

 

I remember the poetry scene

(down on Second Street as I recall)

Dancing to a hard rock beat

Paying tribute to the bards of old

And the beats of San Francisco

Infused with jazz rock and folk

A town that welcomed all to its fold

 

I remember Nashville in the round

A city of dreams and dreamers

Characters in search of a story

Singers in search of a song

Poets in search of rhyme

 

Nashville at Christmas time

When everyone put their dreams aside

And embraced the spirit of being

A spirit of sharing and giving

A spirit of friendship and trust

 

To see it all come crashing down

At the hands of some random madman

Is almost beyond forgiving

 

(an early morning explosion stuns

Nashville on Christmas 2020)

Song of Solstice (Winter is Here)

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR

Song of Solstice (Winter is Here)

 

The days become short and the nights so long

Our hearts are ringing with the sound of song

A northern chill has invaded the air

A winter darkness sweeps us in its lair

 

We have no true longing to venture out

Deep winter shadows fill our minds with doubt

Frost covers the ground and the air grows still

The marrow of bones senses winter’s chill

 

The season of death descends upon all

The heavens in mourning after the fall

We burrow ourselves inside our warm homes

And give thanks to all we are not alone

 

We endure this winter of discontent

And contemplate where our adventures went

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Joy of Christmas

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: CORONAVIRUS SERIES

Joy

 

Let all hardship and worry go

Today is a day of joy

It is a time of winter wonder

For children and their toys

 

Let go the lingering discontent

Let go the tears of rage

Forgive betrayal and transgression

On vengeance turn the page

 

Tonight there is no sorrow

There is no fear or dread

There is only cheer and happiness

As we lay our heads to rest

 

Tomorrow we awaken

To a world of many wonders

A world where joy and faith

Cast misery asunder

 

Christmas is Canceled (for Boris Johnson)

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: CORONAVIRUS SERIES

Christmas is Canceled

 

All the children are bundled

In their bright Christmas best

From the wise in the east

To the jolly Midwest

From the churches down south

To the folks in their vests

We’re all ready to celebrate

A holiday fest

 

But the man in the kingdom

Whom they call the premier

Interrupts the good tidings

And all the great cheer

He looks straight in the camera

And says with a tear

Haven’t you heard?

Christmas is canceled this year

 

My oh my what a fright

What a terrible thing

The children can’t play

And the angels can’t sing

Our Santa’s can’t jolly

And the bells dare not ring

There are no more elves

No flying reindeer

Christmas is canceled this year

 

But out of the darkness

And into the light

The spirit of Christmas

Comes into sight

It soothes all the children

And says do not fear

Christmas is in the heart this year

 

Corona Christmas

 RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: CORONAVIRUS SERIES

Corona Christmas

 

When I was young and brave

I dreamed of being a troubadour

A writer of dreams

A man of letters

A poet and master creator

A man of substance and means

 

I rode that dream to faraway lands

Where art and artists reigned

Where everything was novel

Where everyone had character

Where no one had plans

Beyond tomorrow

 

I remember Christmas

Far from my home

No family no friends

On Christmas alone

 

The dream slowly faded

Like the end of a story

I grabbed my moment

and then it was gone

I awakened surrounded

by family and friends

But I wonder at times

When did the dream end?

 

I remember Christmas

So far from my home

No friends no family

On Christmas alone

 

Now I’m back in a dream

Locked down in my home

No family no friends

On Christmas alone

 

(NYC circa 1975)