CHRISTMAS REMEMBERED

CHRISTMAS REMEMBERED

A white, stilled, intimate hush drew the village in
Upon itself. The elements were palpable,
Compelling recognition and respect
Through domination of our outdoor life--
The bitter air, the heaped-up pavement snow,
The wraith-like fog haunting silvered treetops,
A clinging phantom, old December's breath.

I loved those days-- exhilaration buoyed
My heart and quickly thrilled my spirit when
I gazed or walked outside to feel and hear
The firmly crudding snow beneath my shoes,
Or crackle of bright ice congealed on much-trod
Corners of the streets, which gave a swift glissade
To those with errant steps soon sent astray.

But just to see the crystal glisk on twig
And branch proved keenly-pure delight-- how much
It formed the quality of day, while after dark
A lovely luminosity appeared
To contradict the night.

One could imagine elemental fays
Now sporting in the ghostly snow, a strange
And madcap capering of printless feet,
Elusive beings come from their own world
Here making holiday in ours to bring
A glamour of the seely court, and for
A time confer the realm of faery on
Our commonplace utility and hold
Nocturnal revels while the humans slept--
Though some would know their influence in dreams
Or at the waking dawn, wherever charms
Were laid, ( like silver sixpences once hid
In puddings or beneath the pillow of
A child by superstitious mothers) , so
Now; charms and dreams are interwoven in
The minds of those who yet retain the old
Belief in magic of the living earth.

When Winter subjugates with morphined spell
Of cold, that ancient, elemental earth
May be discerned, and is susceptible
To primal fate which ruled before the birth
Of humankind, the Old Order that once
Held undisputed sway, till, parallel
With kingdoms reared by questing men, it
Lay subsumed the while beneath the grand ideals,
To then irrupt at certain times. Yuletide
In particular is one; and last year felt
More strong by reason of the freeze which made
Us pause and ponder our frail tenure of
The earth we like to call our own. And thus
Awareness of an other presence grew,
Awaking hearts grown dully gross, to make
Them feel afresh a former splendour; deep
Significance, so different than our own.
But with the thaw the magic melted quite...

~ Stanley ~

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