Christmas Remembrance (revision 3)
Posted: 30 Nov 2019, 03:50
I couldn't resist another revision!
Christmas Gifts (revision 3)
Blown away, by a familiar whiff
of Rose Eau-De-Cologne, spritzed
at the perfume counter, I remember
wondering what to buy her.
Fingering the shilling in my pocket, I spy
a tiny bottle, with pink bow neck.
This gift wrapped like a pass the parcel,
finished with holly print, looked enormous -
She’ll never guess what’s inside.
Anticipation woke me early- my hand
zig-zagged down the quilt, speeding to find
the stocking, chockablock.
- He’s been!
Mint humbugs and a cotton-whiskered
sugar mouse squeezed into a paper bag,
a flower clip and tiny china dog in
a wrap of white tissue. Tucked into the toe,
an aromatic tangerine scented walnut shells.
I bite off the iced nose, doze until breakfast
then watched Mam unwrap the umpteen layers,
eyes crinkling as paper crackled. Hugging,
I inhaled sweet roses dabbed behind her ears
Now the dim candlelight of our laden Christmas
table cannot conceal one empty chair or the chipped
china spaniel placed on the mantle shelf.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Christmas Gifts (revision 2)
Warmed by a familiar whiff of Rose
Eau-De-Cologne, from the perfume
counter, I remember
wondering, what shall I buy her?
Fingering a shilling in my pocket, I spot
the tiny bottle, with pink ribboned neck.
Holly print covered the newspaper
padding that made the gift look enormous.
She’ll never guess what’s inside
Awake before the sun, anticipation
churning. my hand zig-zagged down
the quilt - He’s been!
Mint humbugs and a cotton-whiskered
sugar mouse nestled in a paper bag,
a flower clip and tiny china dog, wrapped
in tissue. Tucked in the foot of the nylon
stocking, a tangerine rubbed walnut shells.
After breakfast my mother unwrapped those
umpteen layers, eyes crinkled with laughter.
As she hugged me, I inhaled the sweet
fragrance dabbed behind her ears.
Today our Christmas table is laden with turkey
dinner spread across her embroidered holly cloth
- one place now vacant.
Candles lighted, wine poured, crackers pulled
with a clap, I join the laughter until I glance
at the chipped china spaniel on the shelf.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Cut back further
Christmas Remembrance (Revision)
Squeezing through Woolworth’s crush,
I’m mesmerized by a sparkling
world of garlands, baubles and gifts.
What shall I buy her?
Fingering a shilling in my pocket, I spot
a tiny scent bottle, its neck pink ribboned.
Padded in newspaper layers, finished
with holly print and crimson string,
the gift looked enormous.
She’ll never guess what’s inside
Awake with the sun, tummy churning.
my hand zig-zagged down the quilt
searching for that familiar shape.
He’s been!
In the nylon stocking, a brown paper
bag filled with mint humbugs is topped
with a cotton whiskered sugar mouse.
Wrapped in tissue is a gaudy flower clip
and tiny china dog. Tucked in the foot
an aromatic tangerine rubs walnut shells.
I bite off the iced nose, pin the shiny daisy
to my hair and doze until breakfast.
I recall my mother unwrap those umpteen
layers, her eyes crinkled with laughter.
As she hugged me, I inhaled the sweet
fragrance dabbed behind her ears.
Today our Christmas table is laden with turkey
dinner spread across her favourite
embroidered holly cloth - her place now vacant.
Concealed beneath my smile, melancholy
surfaces, shifting to an ache, as I glance
at the chipped china spaniel on the shelf.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was a very long poem written years ago, but I've cut it back a lot and written in tercets.
Christmas Remembrance
Christmas 1958
Squeezing through Woolworth’s crush,
I’m mesmerized by a sparkling
world of garlands, baubles and gifts.
What shall I buy her?
Fingering a shilling in my pocket, I spot
a tiny scent bottle, its neck pink ribboned.
Padded in newspaper layers, finished
with holly print and crimson string,
the gift looked enormous.
She’ll never guess what’s inside
Awake with the sun, tummy churning.
my hand zig-zagged down the quilt
searching for that familiar shape.
He’s been!
In the nylon stocking, a brown paper
bag filled with mint humbugs is topped
with a cotton whiskered sugar mouse.
Wrapped in tissue is a gaudy flower clip
and tiny china dog. Tucked in the foot
an aromatic tangerine rubs walnut shells.
I bite off the iced nose, pin
the shiny daisy to my hair
and doze until breakfast.
Present day
Crowds jostle through shops or buy online.
Shelves packed with gaudy Santa sacks
are soon filled with mobile phones, I-pads
and computer games. Chocolates galore
replace fruit and nuts. Everything’s a must have
stretching credit cards to their limit.
Warmed by a familiar whiff from the perfume
counter - Rose eau-de-cologne,
I remember my mother unwrap that present
with its umpteen layers. Laughter crinkled
her eyes as she hugged me; I inhaled the sweet
fragrance dabbed behind her ears.
Our Christmas table is laden with turkey
dinner spread across her favourite
embroidered holly cloth - her place now vacant.
Concealed beneath my smile, melancholy
surfaces, shifting to an ache, as I glance
at the chipped china spaniel on the shelf.
Christmas Gifts (revision 3)
Blown away, by a familiar whiff
of Rose Eau-De-Cologne, spritzed
at the perfume counter, I remember
wondering what to buy her.
Fingering the shilling in my pocket, I spy
a tiny bottle, with pink bow neck.
This gift wrapped like a pass the parcel,
finished with holly print, looked enormous -
She’ll never guess what’s inside.
Anticipation woke me early- my hand
zig-zagged down the quilt, speeding to find
the stocking, chockablock.
- He’s been!
Mint humbugs and a cotton-whiskered
sugar mouse squeezed into a paper bag,
a flower clip and tiny china dog in
a wrap of white tissue. Tucked into the toe,
an aromatic tangerine scented walnut shells.
I bite off the iced nose, doze until breakfast
then watched Mam unwrap the umpteen layers,
eyes crinkling as paper crackled. Hugging,
I inhaled sweet roses dabbed behind her ears
Now the dim candlelight of our laden Christmas
table cannot conceal one empty chair or the chipped
china spaniel placed on the mantle shelf.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Christmas Gifts (revision 2)
Warmed by a familiar whiff of Rose
Eau-De-Cologne, from the perfume
counter, I remember
wondering, what shall I buy her?
Fingering a shilling in my pocket, I spot
the tiny bottle, with pink ribboned neck.
Holly print covered the newspaper
padding that made the gift look enormous.
She’ll never guess what’s inside
Awake before the sun, anticipation
churning. my hand zig-zagged down
the quilt - He’s been!
Mint humbugs and a cotton-whiskered
sugar mouse nestled in a paper bag,
a flower clip and tiny china dog, wrapped
in tissue. Tucked in the foot of the nylon
stocking, a tangerine rubbed walnut shells.
After breakfast my mother unwrapped those
umpteen layers, eyes crinkled with laughter.
As she hugged me, I inhaled the sweet
fragrance dabbed behind her ears.
Today our Christmas table is laden with turkey
dinner spread across her embroidered holly cloth
- one place now vacant.
Candles lighted, wine poured, crackers pulled
with a clap, I join the laughter until I glance
at the chipped china spaniel on the shelf.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Cut back further
Christmas Remembrance (Revision)
Squeezing through Woolworth’s crush,
I’m mesmerized by a sparkling
world of garlands, baubles and gifts.
What shall I buy her?
Fingering a shilling in my pocket, I spot
a tiny scent bottle, its neck pink ribboned.
Padded in newspaper layers, finished
with holly print and crimson string,
the gift looked enormous.
She’ll never guess what’s inside
Awake with the sun, tummy churning.
my hand zig-zagged down the quilt
searching for that familiar shape.
He’s been!
In the nylon stocking, a brown paper
bag filled with mint humbugs is topped
with a cotton whiskered sugar mouse.
Wrapped in tissue is a gaudy flower clip
and tiny china dog. Tucked in the foot
an aromatic tangerine rubs walnut shells.
I bite off the iced nose, pin the shiny daisy
to my hair and doze until breakfast.
I recall my mother unwrap those umpteen
layers, her eyes crinkled with laughter.
As she hugged me, I inhaled the sweet
fragrance dabbed behind her ears.
Today our Christmas table is laden with turkey
dinner spread across her favourite
embroidered holly cloth - her place now vacant.
Concealed beneath my smile, melancholy
surfaces, shifting to an ache, as I glance
at the chipped china spaniel on the shelf.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was a very long poem written years ago, but I've cut it back a lot and written in tercets.
Christmas Remembrance
Christmas 1958
Squeezing through Woolworth’s crush,
I’m mesmerized by a sparkling
world of garlands, baubles and gifts.
What shall I buy her?
Fingering a shilling in my pocket, I spot
a tiny scent bottle, its neck pink ribboned.
Padded in newspaper layers, finished
with holly print and crimson string,
the gift looked enormous.
She’ll never guess what’s inside
Awake with the sun, tummy churning.
my hand zig-zagged down the quilt
searching for that familiar shape.
He’s been!
In the nylon stocking, a brown paper
bag filled with mint humbugs is topped
with a cotton whiskered sugar mouse.
Wrapped in tissue is a gaudy flower clip
and tiny china dog. Tucked in the foot
an aromatic tangerine rubs walnut shells.
I bite off the iced nose, pin
the shiny daisy to my hair
and doze until breakfast.
Present day
Crowds jostle through shops or buy online.
Shelves packed with gaudy Santa sacks
are soon filled with mobile phones, I-pads
and computer games. Chocolates galore
replace fruit and nuts. Everything’s a must have
stretching credit cards to their limit.
Warmed by a familiar whiff from the perfume
counter - Rose eau-de-cologne,
I remember my mother unwrap that present
with its umpteen layers. Laughter crinkled
her eyes as she hugged me; I inhaled the sweet
fragrance dabbed behind her ears.
Our Christmas table is laden with turkey
dinner spread across her favourite
embroidered holly cloth - her place now vacant.
Concealed beneath my smile, melancholy
surfaces, shifting to an ache, as I glance
at the chipped china spaniel on the shelf.