Christmas Poems

The First Christmas
by Michael R. Burch

 
’Twas in a land so long ago . . .
the lambs lay blanketed in snow
and little children everywhere
sat and watched warm embers glow
and dreamed (of what, we do not know).
 

And THEN a star appeared on high,
The brightest man had ever seen!
It made the children whisper low
in puzzled awe: What did it mean?
It made the wooly lambkins cry.
 

Not far away a new-born lay,
warm-blanketed in straw and hay,
a lowly manger for his crib.
The cattle mooed, distraught and low,
to see the child. They did not know
 

it now was Christmas day!
 

This is a poem in which I tried to capture the mystery and magic of the first Christmas day. If you like my poem, you are welcome to share it, but please cite me as the author, which you can do by including the title and subheading.

A Child’s Christmas Prayer of Despair for a Hindu Saint
by Michael R. Burch

 
Santa Claus,
for Christmas, please,
don’t bring me toys, or games, or candy ...
just ... Santa, please,
I’m on my knees! ...
please don’t let Jesus torture Gandhi!

What Would Santa Claus Say
by Michael R. Burch

 
What would Santa Claus say,
I wonder,
about Jesus returning
to kill and plunder?
 

For he'll likely return
on Christmas Day
to blow the bad
little boys away!
 

When He flashes like lightning
across the skies
and many a homosexual
dies,
 

when the harlots and heretics
are ripped asunder,
what will the Easter Bunny think,
I wonder?

 

I Syng of a Mayden (circa 1400)
translation by Michael R. Burch

 
I sing of a maiden
that is matchless:
the king of all kings
for her son she chose.
 

He came as still
where his mother was
as the April dew
falling on the grass.
 

He came as still
to his mother's bower
as the April dew
falling on the flower.
 

He came as still
where his mother lay
as the April dew
falling on the spray.
 

Mother and maiden
there was none but she:
well may such a lady
God's mother be!