One of the reasons I enjoy writing poetry, but hey own up Wilkie, probably my favourite reason, is that it is quite hard to determine if the poetic author is being tongue in cheek, rude or perhaps stretching “poetic license” to the limit!
Of course another nice thing about poetry, whether read or written, but mainly when read, is that you can make your own mind up about it, what it means for you or what you think the author means. Despite me owning up to mostly “nailing in my words” and being quite “down to earth” purposely with my style, I have an appendix in all three of my books which gives my explanation of non obviously themed poems for the reader. Feedback says that this is popular and that if people are happy to determine my thoughts, meaning and reasons for themselves, they are also happy to maybe look at the appendix after, or not at all. Good points that I adhered to.
With all that said, and for a very good reason, please read on! Ho, ho & HO? Christmas time is upon us, yes that time of the year for family, laughter, love and food. Or is it loneliness, loss, tears and forced diet??? Maybe with large portions of hypocrisy, greed, selfishness and gluttony too???
Well Christmas time is as Marc Anthony said in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, “honourable”!!! Of course it is, yes certainly, “Good will to man” and “cheers to all” etc etc… Mmmmm, well Marc Anthony was using irony, reverse psychology and yes a sort of poetic licence. He meant the “honourable” men were not honourable at all. So thus the question is then, is our Christmas honourable?
Of course it is! “Look at us having a wonderful time, I will post on facebook, (will review THAT next month lol) our jolly family meal, so it just must be true” ! Oh dear, yes ok! So perhaps now I should post my first of my thee poems in this article… It is called “Is it Merry Christmas?” and is in my recently published 3rd book, “Reviews of Life in Verse”……….
Is it Merry Christmas?
Christmas cheer fills the world
All ready for that special day,
Got to have the greatest meal
For the best ever family day.
Smiling faces beam for the photo
All happy sat round the table.
Well mostly smiling, some just trying,
To look as happy as they’re able!
For Christmas isn’t all it seems
Despite your spending and the drinking,
And peace on earth, goodwill to men
Isn’t really what most are thinking!
It all has to be done, put on a show
Make sure the kids presents are the best,
For when they all return to school
Their parents must pass this test.
Not much cheer in the Christmas crush
Battling each other in the shops,
To get all excesses in good time,
You must pull out all the stops.
Or be deprived of those luxuries
The adverts scream you must buy,
So your greatest day stresses soar
No matter just how hard you try.
For Christmas isn’t all it seems
Despite your spending and the drinking,
And peace on earth, goodwill to men
Isn’t really what most are thinking!
Greed mentality takes over dwellings
Cramming supplies up to the walls,
As if to withstand some long siege
This one day battle is made for fools
Who succumb to the media demands,
And empty their banks and cash flow.
So after the fuss and waste is done
It’s not worth seeing your money go.
2
But I’m no Scrooge or killjoy at all
I like a booze up too, that I must say,
Though I really can’t help thinking
How nice if it was Christmas every day.
And not the seasons bloating scene
With It’s pushing and shoving crowd,
Who cannot see that just being nice
All long year round is still allowed!
Well having got that out of the way why don’t we have a peek at “honourable” Christmas for some people. Lonely!!!! Yup, and amplified even more by the “yahoo’s and look at us having a (overstated?) jolly good time” Of course you are, Errr just be careful what you say to me in more sober moments throughout the rest of the year.
However and sadly, being lonely is not just a “Jolly Christmas” thing is it? Many people are on their own for much of the year too. Their fault ? MMMmmm again possibly, but whilst I and many like me are outgoing and will “muck in” easily, there are lots who will not! BUT hey, it is not for me to lecture or presume, (says he taking refuge behind poetic license) , make up your own minds, but again that leads nicely into Poem two called “Crowded Out” and found in my first book, published in April 2014…………….
Crowded Out
Can a tree in a forest be lonely
Or a wave crest on the sea?
So if surrounded by people
How can loneliness possibly be?
When you look at peoples faces
For a smile or glint of an eye,
Everyone seems to be moving
And like spectres just pass by.
The fish in the ocean have shoals
And the bees will build their hive,
But many people live in surroundings
Where no one knows they’re alive.
So maybe we should reach out
With more effort to connect,
To try and prevent isolation
That even stout hearts will deject.
No person wants their passing
To go off with barely a squeak,
With people saying they saw them
But never found time to speak!
Oh dear, that doesn’t happen really, or um does it? Oh well never mind, another mince pie and glass of wine here please.
But anyway enough of that, nasty reality spoiling Christmas so lets move on to the nice. I am sure we will all have a lovely time, (I will), eat, drink, laugh and sing and why not as we all deserve it don’t we? Just spare a thought for our wider picture of this beautiful, lovely, but cruel and divisive world of ours please. And to help do that here is my third poem called “All Wrapped Up” from my second book, “More Poetic Views o Life”, perhaps more pertinent for Christmas and it’s parcels but like most of my poems, “one size fits all”, (even if you don’t want it to) …..
All Wrapped Up
I can’t open up the wrapper
No matter how hard I try.
Like undoing a peanut packet,
A big tug and out they fly!
Pull here, the packet glibly says
So there you pull but have no joy.
And the pouch stays firmly shut
As you pull and tug it like a toy.
Biscuits tightly wrapped are fun
When the opening tag won’t work.
And the biscuits are now crumbs
As the packet you pull and jerk.
The cereal box says open here
So you dutifully aim to comply.
But hard luck, it’s open other end,
So you just scream and cry!
Whatever type of wrapper cover
Is between you and your wares,
It will set up a conundrum test
Sure to give you bad nightmares.
If your goods don’t have a tag pull
They’ll be mummified all in tape,
That will hurt and break your nails
Leaving you with a puzzled gape.
So best be prepared for opening war
And arm yourself with all the tools,
Scissors, hammer, knife and bombs
For this package fight has no rules!
Well that does it for this month I think, some alternative thoughts backed by three of my very different themed poems! I hope you enjoyed them and perhaps found some “ringing of bells” (sorry but it is Christmas LOL) with you and a reflective drift too, after all , there but for the grace of god go we?
Have a great festive season, Laurie, The Psychy Poet
All three of my books :–
Poetic Views of Life
MORE Poetic Views of Life &
Reviews of Life in Verse
Will ensure my donation to the excellent charity I support, promote and donate to, that being Help for Heroes and my books only priced £4. 99p each are all on sale at Amazon, or from me at …………….. lw1800@hotmail.co.uk
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