Just Say It Poem by Nabeela Black

Holiday times are here!
Which one will you celebrate, my dear?
Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza
So many meanings, so many colors.
And still there are others…..
Who don’t celebrate at all.
So think the rest of us should not be able to
sing or laugh,
Exchange gifts or nice sentiments.

Call them “holiday times” – but don’t use the true names behind
Because what you believe may not be mine.
Just keep quiet and don’t mind
while me and my agnostic friends party all night long,
then drive reckless and drunken –
blaring music and screaming obscenities.
Because these are our gods (? that don’t hurt anyone) .

Yeah, we have the right to believe God is dead but you
have no right to believe in YHWH, Jesus or any sorta Faith –
And surely not to say or sing out loud that you do.

What’s wrong with this, my friend?
The silence from your “peace on earth” is deafening.
Peace is not peace without justice for all.
And remember what the Good Book really says
“peace on earth and goodwill to men…on whom God’s favor rests! ” (Luke 2: 14)
Without God there can be no goodwill, no peace, no justice.
So don’t stop saying Merry Christmas,
Because it IS Christmas– yes CHRISTmas!
Let them have their “happy holidays”
But don’t you ever stop singing, saying and praising Him for giving believers a
Merry Christmas!
In the end you know His peace and justice will prevail.
And if they’re merry or not is not up to us.

But oh yeah, do your best to love ‘em (and occasionally pray for ‘em) anyway.
So maybe one day they’ll stop complaining and actually have their “happy holiday”
AND a Merry Christmas!

(Dec '05)