Kendall Merriam: Christmas Moon
To Our Friends of Rockland and the World
Bright shining with a ring of mist
Coming out with the last of the Christmas shopping
Toys, loons and art supplies
Chill closing up our coats
But minds and hearts warming up
With some Rock City hot chocolate
Meeting Rockland’s most energetic family of bears
Who decorate the outside of their dens
For every holiday
We will be having nine at Christmas dinner
Just as my father designed the kitchen table
Phyllis’s kitchen will get a workout
As we cook everything from lamb
To egg salad on Kenny’s biscuits
Guests from India and Russia and ancient Greece
And my oldest brother who knows the house
Who will do his comedian tricks of voice
To prepare for his trip to Alaska
To see Palin’s Russia
We think laughter will erupt
As three year old Aryan
Charms us with his songs and dances
A burden surely to be the only child at the party
But the attention will do him good
And ease our hearts
To see a bright future for our tiny planet
With this peaceful moon
Shining for everyone for free
One grim scientist
Predicted the end of mankind in 100 years
I beg to differ
Even though I won’t be around to see
There might still be hope
If we would have the sense
To bring health and food to the world
Instead of conflict
That seems so endemic
But for this Christmas
We will be safe and warm and well fed
A gathering to be remembered
At 1857 72 Mechanic
So we wish everyone to have good cheer
Brought on by sun and moon
And the love most humans
Have for each other
So, a Merry Christmas and a lovely New Year
And prayers for peace
Kendall Merriam, Inaugural Poet Laureate of Rockland, Home, December 19, 2010 9:14 PM, Listening to “Hits of the ‘50’s”
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