Another Poem

06 Dec Another Poem

I’m in a poetry mood. For all of you about to face your particular family situation during the holidays. I offer this one by Thomas Smith:

Housewarming

In my dream I’m the first to arrive

at the old home from church. Wind

and night had forced through the cracks,

I pushed inside, turned on lamps,

lit a fire in the stove. Frozen oak

logs stung my fingers; it was good

pain, my hands reddening on the icy

broom-handle as i swept away snow.

On Christmas Eve, I prepared a warm

place for my mother and father, sister

and brothers, grandparents, all my relatives,

none dead, none missing, none angry

with another, all coming through the woods.