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2009 Poetry Theme Challenges#22 Children and Childhood |
The Winter festivals are rapidly approaching and we supposedly grown up humans ( I for one will never grow up) either are
getting excited or wondering how to escape it all. So for this challenge you can either stay with the holidays or escape them
entirely; but the subject is Children and Childhood, so on that note I trip back to my own childhood and Christmas when my
Granda would read to me -
Jem XXXX |
Children and Childhood
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Maryse AchongShe's different from other kids; her smile Tells of an inner grace, a beauty so Profound and joyful, this child so precious. A blessing her parents thought life precious, Welcoming her arrival with a smile, Knowing no matter what, they'd love her so. And now people have heard her story so They all recognize that she is precious And everyone's affected by her smile. An angel with a smile that's so precious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5dhdYKq7c4 back to list |
Divena CollinsIn a Village cottage garden On a wooden bench by the wall. A girl sat with her grandfather Listening to stories, enthralled. He filled up his pipe with `baccy` Before his long stories began, Lit it up, and had a few puffs While holding the bowl in his hand. He told some tales of long ago Before his grandchild was born, What the village looked like then, It was fields, of wheat, and corn. Of when he was a lad himself When he worked in the fields, He was so young, just turned ten, To harvest, all autumn yields. Times were very hard back then Boots with holes, and wet feet And after a long, hard days toil Not much in the pot to eat. The little girl and grandfather Went back there hand, in hand, She was with him in his story, Felt the hardness of the land Dear oh dear, but we did survive If we hadn`t we wouldn`t have you I blinked back a tear from my eye "Oh grandad, I do love you too." A few years have gone since then, And grandad has since passed on, In my mind, I still see that bench, Where we chatted and both sat upon.  ----- Wendy My Angel A little angel came to me while I was asleep. And prayed by my bed, for my soul to keep She said, dear Mummy, I will always be near, But in my dreams, I had shed many a tear, A long time ago, when she was taken from me, Life wasn`t meant, for one as lovely as she, But God needed angels in heaven above. So he took her away the little angel, I loved. Although I know she will be happy and free, Her short life on earth, was not meant to be I will always remember, every day of the year Especially when the Christmas season is here, Her spirit is with me, she`s here every day An angel, who stands by my bedside to pray.  back to list |
Jem FarmerSilver Angels A winter world of magic greets a child as they awaken from a night of dreams and see Yule trees kissed by silver angels Around the fire they sing like the angels as the Goddess Mother bears the Sun Child and the world can once again fill with dreams . So precious are the distant childhood dreams when we had the blesséd sight of angels and viewed the world with the eyes of a child . A child's dreams are gifts from holy angels. ----- Looking Back  Countryside walks, warm in our woolly hats, birds singing in the hedgerow, our music, houses in the distance sparkle with lights. Dad creating a fuss over fairy lights, while we make paper chains and party hats, and radios crackle with festive music. Carol singing in the Square, to recorded music, dancing into the night beneath winter lights, and sharing a kiss neath mistletoe hats. Old hats nod to choral music in church lights back to list |
Ryter RoethicalAngels make no greater sound than a child Who's happily singing carols at Christmas. Indeed the most hardened person is beguiled Certainly the least inclined to ever harass For most natures protect the very young Thinking those that don't are nought but dung. Streets once blessed with these Angelic sounds Have all placed carol singers out of bounds. Now some schools with a similar frame of mind Have banned all reference about the seasons joy With certainly no mention of Mary's baby boy, Yet in Malaysia these sounds was happy to find. A non Christian country as happy as "well" To wish a total stranger a "Bon Noel".  ----- Christmas (After Gibran) She said to her beloved, Tell me about Christmas And he replied Christmas is the time for children But Christmas is also a time of greatness. It not only the time of celebrating the birth of Christ It is also a time of great love And to others it's a time of great pain. It is also a time of exchanging gifts and sharing But it is also at this time more than ever we feel loss. And is then more than ever the time can also feel most alone It is a time when vows are made Promises and gifts exchanged Families meet and children exalt Santa And see candlelight and cakes and hear carols sung Sharing happiness that some think will last forever But all too often it is replaced by darkness and memories. But out of that darkness will come light And from out of that light will come Hope Then out of Hope, promises to share And it is those promises that bring happiness.  ----- Christopher Robin's Christmas Prayer Little boy kneels at the foot of the bed Rubbing his eyes, all swollen and red. In a hostel for homeless he starts to pray Please Lord I know tomorrows your day Dads lost his job and were out on the street We've nothing to wear or put on our feet. There's others far worse off than us I know They're sleeping outside with nowhere to go. They haven't been fed since you know when But they're still your children every one of them Some love you, or hate you, some know your around Some praise you, or curse you, some never a sound. Whatever, no matter, your supposed to love us I don't want no trouble, I don't want no fuss Please give us a day where we're all full and warm A day full of loving, without any harm. Hush, hush, whisper who dares Christopher Robin is saying his prayers.  ----- Grandads and Christmas I look at my kids, kids and think; "Am I that old? And then I think of my grandads. Both of them were dead before I was 12. And I am older than both of them were, now. I remember Christmas's at Nanna W's Grandad was bald and I used to sneak up Behind his chair and play and touch his bald head He would pretend he was angry I wish he could pretend to be angry now. Instead he was the first to go. And I miss the smell of his pipe as he lit it He always lit up as we were talking And point it at me emphasising a something. Funny how I can only remember him sitting He had an armchair I never saw him out of. I see him putting aside his large glass of Port (He only drank it at Christmas) And sticking a large wooden spill into the fire Once alight he would put it to his pipe Then in a few sucks it was drawing well And we would carry on talking like two old mates. Then one day he was taken to hospital When he came home it was in a coffin He was the first dead person I saw. I used to go for long walks with grandad C I would ask him about the war, how he'd lost a lung We'd talk like two mates, not old and young They gave him 20 years to live He doubled it and beat them But couldn't beat the Cancer of a Woodbine. What would you like for Christmas What is your dream? he asked A Hornsby 00 railway was my reply And that was what I got. It was two weeks after Christmas before I could play with it Twas too difficult was my father's stern remarks And so he and Uncle Fred played with it I watched them with longing looks As they played and added to my railway With information they gained from books. Grandad came round to look when dad was at work And saw me playing with his present He saw how much joy he had given me And I saw how much he was content. The following Christmas There was no Grandad to annoy Or one to add rolling stock to my railroad Cancer had claimed them both. So much for Christmas. back to list |
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