Wednesday, January 04, 2012

This tree has no candles

My poem 'This tree has no candles' won the ChristianCreativeWriters Christmas poetry competition.     christiancreativewriters.com

This tree has no candles.


This
Christmas
tree has no candles.
This tree has no needles
finely falling
on presents at  its feet.
This tree has no splendour,
torn from earth, wrenched from root.
The adorned silence of eternity replaces
the rustling
of temporal branches.
This Christmas tree is pain-laden,
love created, garden grown, universal sown.
Cock-crowed carols surround it - searching for a tune.
This tree is advent epiphany fulfilled,
a sight for blinded eyes and the lame to dance their carols.
There is no Christmas without this tree, blood-brother to the tinselled child,
herald of eternity, gift wrapped  present of a reconciled.
No other gift had such a wrapping nor was bought at such a price,
and neither would the giver plan another such device.
For here, and here alone, is there meaning for all things,
things of wonder, things of beauty, things of peace on broken wings.
This Christmas
tree  has
no candles.
save the
Light
that
shines
in darkest places.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Brilliant, poignant, moving, and a vivid picture of the Reason for the Season pointing to Easter, and asking each of us...which tree do we care for most?
Excellent, Keith!

from Richard-the Beard!

The Unknowngnome said...

Congratulations Keith. It's a well deserving piece loaded with meaning, praise and form.

Jack Brown said...

beautiful poetry
Cock-crowed carols surround it - searching for a tune
thartaguddenKeith