A
TREE

                                                                FOR US TO

                                                        GATHER ROUND, A

                                                    TREE TO KEEP US SAFE

                                          AND SOUND, A TREE TO BRIGHTLY

                                        LIGHT OUR WAY, A TREE TO SHELTER

                                   US EACH DAY, SAVING US FROM WINTER’S

                                 COLD, ITS STORY GLAD AND FOREVER TOLD,

                               GREEN BRANCHES COMFORTING THOUGH WILD

                          BEND LOW TO TOUCH THE NEWBORN CHILD, AS NEAR

                      AND FAR THEY COME TO SEE, THE TINY BABE OF PROPHECY,

                     AS THEY KNEEL FOR A BLESSED TIME IS NEAR, TO FREE US ALL

                 FROM HATE AND FEAR, THE LITTLE CHILD SLEEPS DEEP AND SWEET,

              WHILE BEASTS AND BIRDS SURROUND HIS FEET, AND BANDS OF ANGELS

                                                                     FLY ABOVE,
SINGING OF
ETERNAL LOVE.

Christmas Night

Cold snow won’t whisper the joy it knows
But rather shows the sparkle of its heart
Look
The frigid wind comes
Naked and raging with jealousy
He screams at the evergreens
Rips off their ermine finery
Then leaves to sulk
Ashamed to be the slave of winter,
Then joyous heaven’s sunlight
Twice reflected by moon and snow
Softens nighttime cold
Biding us to walk abroad
Each bearing our inner light
Of Christ

Read More Poems From The Adirondack Almanack HERE.