started October 2009, finished July 2010
Camping out Christmas Eve
This camp-out we invented to help a rag-tag flock of teens forget they cannot be home and erase all of the canned Christmas reminders on every tube and every corner that is like salt in these wounds of broken families. We wanted to soften the ache for estranged, absent and abusive parents.
We will make our own simple ceremony, simple gifts to each child. We hope to draw them into this day of happiness; let them discover the back door to a missed childhood.
We found a small spruce last night growing close to the tents, christened it “our Christmas tree,” placed a creche in the branches near the top with strings of popcorn and berries for the birds. Tomorrowt we will hang their stockings there, stuffed with pecans and oranges, sweet morsels of chocolate and jokes on bright paper.
A present waiting to be unwrapped,
This Christmas Eve morn
Looks like any other winter day of gray.
I rise to kindle the morning camp fire.
The sun is folded below the horizon
Laying banked by an ash-colored cold front.
Then rising, it burns its cloud blankets for warmth,
Smoldering copper, flaming crimson,
As saved embers glow brightly,
When dawn breathes upon them.
Now snowflakes large as angel down
Begin to fall,
Glistening the pine boughs.
You have given those children a beautiful Christmas memory. Kudos.
Wonderful deeds expressed with love and caring...I see it all and my other senses are teased by the bliss of you sharing this special time to give something to those in need of a hug and a smile, "One size fitting all!" Dorothy A Poet Who Loves to Sing
Your description of the winter sunrise rings true ... "smoldering copper and flaming crimson" mixed with with "ash" "folded" ... really nice. "snowflakes large as angel down" made me smile, remembering tales of theological debates over how many angels could dance on the head of a pin. Enjoyed.