Poems for Xmas
by James O. Kelly
Christmas Image
From a window
Trimmed in rime,
Candled wreaths blush
Against the warm side of the pane.
Snowflakes
Tread the silence,
Lay winter's stole
Upon the sill below.
Morning weans the glow
From candles' cheeks,
Dances with the joy
In children's eyes.
12/10/04
Memories of Christmas
I hear sleigh bells tingle
On a very special night,
As snowflakes dance across the land
Blanketing in white.
I see tree lights blinking,
Tinsel strung with care,
Toddlers and their teddy bears
Heading up the stairs.
I smell homemade cookies,
Pine scent in the air.
I can touch the memories
That always will be there.
I feel the warmth of Christmas,
The good will that it brings,
When joy and exhultation
Are shared with Christ the King.
11/28/07
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Home For Christmas
I remember the five and dime store
Where Santa Claus came every year;
Neighbors that actually spoke to each other,
Offering eggnog and cheer.
I remember those hand-crafted toys
Assembled from something called wood--
Cribs for the babies, radio flyers,
Music we all understood.
I remember the pre-Wal-Mart days
When the "blue light" was special, indeed;
Christ had his place on all of the cards
And they only sold real Christmas trees.
I remember a place full of magic,
The warmth of family and friends.
Time cannot draw an end to this season--
Each year, I go back once again.
12/02/05
Poet Hopeful
Ego bared,
I stand before a faceless crowd―
Seeking accolades, braced for barbs
Of sharpened tongues.
Horn-rimmed, golden-framed judges-to-be
Return my stare―unwittingly await my stumble―
Eyes shifting,
Brows furrowed in suspicion.
Fantasy and truth
Lay foot snares for each other
And I, lowly belletrist,
Assign their license.
Rejection, most dreaded beast,
Feeds on quickened pulse, gnaws poetic flesh―
Wounds and scars
Hallmarks of persistence.
9/14/10
James O. Kelly |
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Jim Kelly was born and raised in Curwensville, a small town in central Pennsylvania. In 1998, he and his wife, Janice, retired to Englewood, Florida to be with their grandchildren. Shortly thereafter, Jim joined the Suncoast Writers Guild and became an active volunteer. In Englewood Elementary School, teaching free form verse. For his work with elementary students, Jim has earned Special Projects Awards from Sarasota County. He recently joined the FWA, Sarasota writers' group. "The Place" is Jim's first book of poetry. Another book is being prepared for publishing in the near future. |
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Visit his website: www.jamesokelly.com |
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