[stylist] Poem - "Christmas Card" - Second Draft

[William L Houts]

HI Eve,

You're pretty close to getting the gist of the poem, I think.  I 
wouldn't say that the mood is quite nostalgic, but you're right in 
guessing that that the speaker is ruminating over the idea of Christmas, 
and is perhaps a little surprised to find that he was nudged towards  a 
Christian conversion by something as innocuous as a Christmas card.  He 
then goes on to say that the Christmas card was probably not the only 
thing which did the trick, but that it was important.  Then he finishes 
by suggesting that however that might be, he's now "unchurched". Amuway, 
I'm so glad you've taken the time to reflect on my poem a little.

all regards,


Bill






On 12/15/2014 4:02 PM, Pagan Tree wrote:
> Bill, I had to reread your Christmas Card poem but, I am wondering if 
> what I am getting from it is what you intended. If you do not want to 
> say, that is fine. I know we often wish to have our work stand on its 
> own and let the reader deem what they will. I am going to speak up 
> none the less. The worst that could happen is that you ignore my 
> intrusion into your inner meaning.
> What I got from it was a person who had gone through a major 
> conversion and no longer believed in the premise of Christmas, but was 
> still nostalgic over cards from their past life and the memories that 
> they represent. Did I get it at all?
> Well, Blessed Yule and whatever else you may celebrate. Eve
>
> On Sun, Dec 7, 2014 at 8:18 PM, William L Houts via stylist 
> <stylist at nfbnet.org <mailto:stylist at nfbnet.org>> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>     Hey Jackie and Linda,
>
>     Thanks once again for your kind comments.  When I once again took
>     up the challenge of writing poetry, after about a dozen years of
>     giving it up, my hope was to write material which would be useful
>     to the reader, one way or another.  I'm so glad that my current
>     work seems to be doing that. That makes for the three R's of
>     poetry, I guess:  rhythm, rhyme and readers:  LOL.
>
>
>     Merry Christmas / Happy Hannukkah / Blessed Yuletide.
>
>     --Bill
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>     On 12/7/2014 6:27 AM, Lynda Lambert wrote:
>
>         Bill, I love this Christmas Card. And, it reminds me so much
>         of the theology of Emily Dickinson.
>         Bill, I would love to see you put together a chapbook!
>         Choose a theme and start digging through your poems and
>         putting one together.  I'll be first in line to buy it!
>         Your work is intellectual, intelligent, thoughtful, and the
>         wisdom you weave through the passages is something that can
>         never be taught - it has to come from within the person, for
>         the teacher within you.
>         Lynda
>         Original Message----- From: William L Houts via stylist
>         Sent: Friday, December 05, 2014 2:43 PM
>         To: Writer's Division Mailing List
>         Subject: [stylist] Poem - "Christmas Card" - Second Draft
>
>         Hey Wits and Poets:
>
>         Something for the season, I suppose.   Comments welcome, as
>         always.
>
>
>         --Bill
>
>
>         ---
>
>         Christmas Card
>
>         Neither angels nor elves, their toys
>
>         and trumpets announcing Christmas Land fun,
>
>         but a still and sober nature:
>
>         a buck, a rabbit, a golden-eyed owl
>
>         arrested in stances,
>
>         this winter commune, as actual
>
>         as unmythed frozen earth:
>
>         These creatures gazed, with liquid eyes
>
>         upon a rare sky'sprophet star.
>
>         sofree, this card, of kitsch it slipped
>
>         my cynical guard and struck me
>
>         crucial hard:I broke open to faith,
>
>         and found some years the solace of bread
>
>         and wine. I'm lying, mind,a tiny pip;
>
>         other starbolts, too, conspired for me to take
>
>         the Saint James plunge. I'm unchurched now,
>
>         but how I grant that Christmas card
>
>         a nod for herding me to Catholic pews:
>
>         abandoned now, but cherished, kept.
>
>         I do retain a miracle soul: respect
>
>         the wisdom of chance and change: I dream,
>
>         I play, I bathe, waters of love and rain
>
>         my only church,more bloodfelt than the Dove.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>     -- 
>
>
>     "Oh, Sophie!  Whyfore have you eated all de cheeldren?"
>
>
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>


-- 


"Oh, Sophie!  Whyfore have you eated all de cheeldren?"