and Observations on the Holidays
a collection of poems
By Steven Olofson
Copyright 2014 Steven Olofson
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Poem Listing
Christmas Observations
Snowdrift Arrow
Into Tomorrow
Christmas Complete
A Baby Was Born
Created from the Heart
Whisper
One More Christmas
More Christmas Observations
In the Silence
Find Peace
Christmas Box
The Visit
Real Magic
Snow
Listen to the Boy
Child in a Stall
Listen to that Whisper
There is a Whisper
A Thread
Reindeer Jam
Christmas Cat & Mouse
About the Author
Connect with Steven Olofson
Christmas Observations
Snow covered lights
Give witness to carols being sung
On this peaceful night in December
Hot chocolate and cookies
Await the joyful skaters
Gliding on the frozen lake
Asleep on the mantle
The cat stands guard
over all that has been readied
A circling train rings the tree
surrounded by gifts of love
awaiting their intended receivers
Enjoying the sights
of this peace filled time
warming ourselves in love
Snowdrift Arrow
Snowdrifts build a ramp
To a decorated roof line
Pointing to a specific star
With a holy declaration
Waves of golden light
Filter through the frosted window
From a flagstone hearth
Warming soul and stocking feet
Purring from venerable Gus
Curled asleep at my feet
Magnifies the arrant peace
Of this holiday time
Into Tomorrow
The joy that beams
on a child's face
at the sight of Elfin gifts
The peace that calms
as the purring from Aslan
nestled on my lap
Take it into tomorrow
The sharing of carolers
singing and huddled
with scarves and smiles
The warmth of seasonal lights
glowing beneath
a crystalline blanket
Take it into tomorrow
The hope for tomorrow
that was given in a child
born as Morningstar
Take it into tomorrow
Christmas Complete
On a distant hill
Glowing by stars and moon
A search is in progress
Quested with my task
I proceed with careful eyes
Through the reflecting crystals
In a hilltop stand
Is my prize and goal
I carefully bring it home
Lambent reflections
Dancing throughout the room
Illuminate the evergreen arrow
With crackling hearth
And purring from Skittlepuss
My Christmas is complete
A Baby Was Born
Outside
the children play
It's a snowy day
Making snowmen in the yard
They raise a cheer
That everyone hears
As they finish him with some eyes
Inside
the fire is bright
It is quite a sight
As the flames jump from log to log
The Christmas tree glows
as it puts on a show
and you're warmed by the one you love
What will I get this year
I have made it quite clear
That I really don't know what I want
But I say to you
A bright Good Yule
And remember that a baby was born.
Created from the Heart
Outside:
The snowman stands vigil
over colored lights
glowing beneath blankets of white
Silently welcoming visitors
to mid-winter celebrations
The full moon
gently illuminates the scene.
In the distance
the music of the season is heard
Not off key
Not on
But created from the heart
Inside:
Crackling logs in the fireplace
warm the house
with heat and golden light
As a child sleeps
the cat at her side
purrs softly releasing peace
Out by the fire
two lovers sipping brandy
sharing the fire and their love
Under the tree
gifts of every kind
Some were bought
others made
but all created from the heart
Whisper
There is a whisper
on the snowflake that falls
on the calico tree in the square
The Whisper reaches the tufted ears of Magician
curled and asleep in the rustic manger there
The Whisper bestows a peace
The Whisper is the birth
of a special child
One More Christmas
One more time of joy
One more time of gentleness
One more time of strength
One more time of peace
One more Christmas
For us
More Christmas Observations
The twist of a bulb
in a soon to be colorful string
of light-points
suspended in tree and bow
The silent gentle sway
of tinsel threads
in the movements
of the pine scented air
The joyful singing
of carolers entering the house
for hot Tom & Jerry's
to warm the heart and the body
The slow decent
of reflecting crystals
on sills and walks
muting sounds and blanketing the earth
The peaceful strength
of the placing
of a Christ-child figure
in the family nativity
In the Silence
In the silence of a candles flame
A child of peace was born
A celebration is shared
Hope is rekindled
In the silence of a candles flame
Peace illuminates the heart
The light of Truth
is not to be hidden
Find Peace
in the songs
of the holidays
in the form
of a child born
in the dawn
of a new year
in the love
of friends at your side
find peace
above all... find peace
Christmas Box
&
nbsp; What is in your Christmas Box?
Take the key, release the lock
Reach inside and hold it tight
Bring it out into the light
What is in your Christmas Box?
Of solid wood without a knot
What you dream is deep inside
Release it now and love will guide
In childhood I remember
The gifts of Christmas Eve
The songs we sang in church that night
The smell of evergreen
Christmas day the gifts are wrapped
And stacked beneath the tree
My mother said I had to wait
My Christmas Box awaited me.
As I am an adult now
With children of my own
The magic has returned to me
In ways I'd never known
My grandchild comes to visit
He brings a gift to me
The contents of my Christmas box?
'Love' has been returned to me
The Visit
In a cottage on the hill
Far from the busy town.
An old man sits quietly
Wrapped in a blanket and alone.
The dwelling's air is cool
As a single bulb lights the chamber.
The knotted swept floor is bare
Between sparse and plain furnishings.
Outside, growing in decibels,
Carolers raise voices and lantern.
Stepping onto the creaky porch
They knock and enter
He does not know the intruders
But knows they mean no harm
For four years the visit has occurred
For four years this gift has been given
In a cottage on the hill
Far from the busy town.
An old man sits quietly
Wrapped in a blanket
But no longer alone.
Real Magic
I wish Teddy Bears
Had Real Magic
To make the world right
To take all the pain out of living
To wipe away tears forever
I wish Teddy Bears
Had Real Magic
but they only have
what magic we give to them
They are but fur and stuffing
With two eyes and a nose
(a cute nose at that)
but,
the Real Magic
is in Love.
Love that
makes the world livable
makes pains tolerable
wipes away each tear
as they fall
But I do still wish
Teddy Bears
Had Real Magic
Snow
Snow fell
and covered the ground
with a fresh clean overlay
hiding mud and dirt
Each crystal
had its place in a particular pile
forming blankets of white
that sparkle in sunlight
Some will be trampled
Some melt away
Some will be thrown
at a boy or girl
But the snow will come
and then go away
As winter starts turning
to Springtime again
Listen to the Boy
He was born in a manger
so we could have a mansion
He was born in the cold of night
so we'd be warmed in his light
He was wrapped up
in rags for clothes
so that we'd be rich in Him
He was born of the virgin,
to free us all from sin
He grew up, teaching all he knew
and telling of his Father
who sent him down from Heaven
to die for all humankind
well at 32 he was crucified
a spear stuck in his side
3 days later He rose again
the power of death had died
This little babe was born so long ago
He was a very special boy
because he was , we now can be
alive for ever more
So please this time,
this Christmas time,
won't you listen to the boy
Child in a Stall
Through the eyes of a child
See the need for peace
With the faith of a child
Live and work for peace
In this world filled with hate
Let it not be our fate
Let us hear the voice call
From a child in a stall
To each in their own corner
To each in their own way
Work for peace and justice
Starting here and now today
Walk hand in hand together
With those in need of love,
And those who struggle just to live
Grab the latch. Release the Dove.
Listen to that Whisper
Peace
is such a simple word
and yet it is the most
difficult to achieve
It is silent,
yet it shouts
to the survival
of humanity
It is strong
yet its gentleness
exceeds all powers
Peace
is such a simple word
What are you doing
to bring peace
to where you are?
Peace begins
as a whisper in the heart.
Listen to that whisper
There is a Whisper
There is a whisper
In the cries of war
In the laughter of children
In the shouts of intolerance
In the silence of medication
In the noises of hatred
In the tones of music
There is a whisper
It is a whisper of peace
Whispered for those
Who want to hear it
Listen for the whisper
A Thread
There is a thread
of invisible gold that
connects us all with a Child
This invisible thread
unites us to all peoples
To those in office buildings
and in fields
In places of war
and houses of worship
In mansions on hilltops
and streets below
To the young in age
and young at heart
This invisible thread
is often forgotten
except at Holy day times
Feel the invisible thread
and know that you
are not alone in this world
Reindeer Jam
Get'n ready for His Holiday flight
Cool Dude is rockin’ his red & white
Shufflin', slidin'
We reindeer are just swingin' along
Little Dudes makin' toys for kids play
Loading up the Santa Man's
pimped out sleigh
Wrappin', packin'
from the courtyard we're swingin' along
Reindeer harnessed and ready to fly
Reins in hand, Big Red aims to the sky
Rising, soaring
We reindeer are jammin’ a long
Chimney delivery, gifts under the trees
All for the children that Big Red sees
Chimneys, Mangers,
While we reindeer are jammin' along
Almost done as we've dropped off the toys
Brought smiles and gifts
for all girls and boys
Laughing, smiling
we reindeer are jammin' along
Christmas Cat & Mouse
There once was a cat
born on Christmas Day
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A little brown mouse
came the very same day
The mouse liked to run
among the gifts and the toys
Though he hid in the stand
when he heard the young boy
The cat was now smarter
when the next Christmas came
He put out some cheese,
catch the mouse was his aim
As the cat it lay still, already to pounce
The mouse saw the cheese,
a little over an ounce
When the time did arrive
and the cat saw his chance
He sprang from his perch
as in an elegant dance
While holding the mouse,
tight under it's paw
He opened his mouth and said
“Merry Christmas to all”
About the Author
I have enjoyed writing and creating my own Christmas / Holiday cards for many years. This booklet contains a collection of 22 of those observations or 1,834 words, prayers, wishes and thoughts on the Holidays. I hope that you enjoy them as much as I enjoy writing. Feedback is always welcome but please be gentle.
Peace & Hugs, Steve
Contact the Author
Email me:
[email protected] Follow me on Twitter: PAmusicSwede