Nightlight At Christmas (Final Version) Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

to my dear sister Sharon, at Christmas and always
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keep a candle in your heart
when it gets scary in the dark
and keep o keep your Christmas glow
like Eloise, that hint of snow that jingle jangle
very merry way of living, chocolate cherry
recall our trees with bubble lights, the color wheel
the angel flights and angel abra carousels
and all the reasons to be well,
dismissed from school, the final bell
and then released to Christmas vacation
oh what a joy of preparations
remember when the snow was new
and with our Gramp the snow igloo
we built and lived in for a bit
then went inside for peppermint
ice cream, frothy in the bowl and crunchy candy
good you know, brazil nuts, oranges, gold doubloons,
stuffed in our stockings in the living room
petit fours on a delicate plate
and oh how hard it was to wait!
and how our Poochum pranced around
and tore the wrappings with a bound
and in the window from the front
the sweet nativity yellow light
beckoned us home from the angel pageants...
it seemed so real the Christmas star
hanging over our backyard
that's how I feel, how I felt then
remember starshine on the wind
remember carols from Goodyear
the Holly Ball, and dollies dear and books galore
and wondrous toys how happy we were
with Christmas joys and Mama sang oh Holy Night
and Grandmother hugged us very tight
and most of all in the manger crib
we felt that baby Jesus lived
and was our friend and loved us so
oh keep, o keep your Christmas glow.
for it is really all you know and all we needed
ever to know of Heaven.

mary angela douglas 23 november 2021