Thursday 25 December 2008

Merry Christmas

May your Christmas be
what you wish it to be!


Christmas
The bells of waiting Advent ring,
The Tortoise stove is lit again
And lamp-oil light across the night
Has caught the streaks of winter rain
In many a stained-glass window sheen
From Crimson Lake to Hookers Green.

The holly in the windy hedge
And round the Manor House the yew
Will soon be stripped to deck the ledge,
The altar, font and arch and pew,
So that the villagers can say
'The church looks nice' on Christmas Day.

Provincial Public Houses blaze,
Corporation tramcars clang,
On lighted tenements I gaze,
Where paper decorations hang,
And bunting in the red Town Hall
Says 'Merry Christmas to you all'.

And London shops on Christmas Eve
Are strung with silver bells and flowers
As hurrying clerks the City leave
To pigeon-haunted classic towers,
And marbled clouds go scudding by
The many-steepled London sky.

And girls in slacks remember Dad,
And oafish louts remember Mum,
And sleepless children's hearts are glad.
And Christmas-morning bells say 'Come!'
Even to shining ones who dwell
Safe in the Dorchester Hotel.

And is it true,
This most tremendous tale of all,
Seen in a stained-glass window's hue,
A Baby in an ox's stall ?
The Maker of the stars and sea
Become a Child on earth for me ?

And is it true ? For if it is,
No loving fingers tying strings
Around those tissued fripperies,
The sweet and silly Christmas things,
Bath salts and inexpensive scent
And hideous tie so kindly meant,

No love that in a family dwells,
No carolling in frosty air,
Nor all the steeple-shaking bells
Can with this single Truth compare -
That God was man in Palestine
And lives today in Bread and Wine.

By John Betjeman



10 comments:

Unknown said...

Merry Christmas, you old goat.

Da Old Man said...

Merry Christmas, Graham.

The Hussy Housewife said...

Merry Christmas!!! Hope you get a screamer and a moaner!

A. said...

I hope you've had a good day!

Gerry Hatrić said...

Great cartoon, and a real poem. Hope Christmas has been good.

Jane said...

Hope you're having a great Christmas holiday!
Best wishes from Wales, Jane

Mike Rose said...

Graham I just love the cartoon. Back to childhood days with more senior relatives having one or two extra sherries!

Anonymous said...

Happy holidays to you. Great cartoon.

Hoo Don said...

Poetry in motion and lets hope your beloved Hearts are over the festive period. Happy New Year from Thailand.

Adullamite said...

Thank you dear friends - and FisHawk!:)