Saturday, December 7, 2019

Advent: The Familiar



Why do we keep coming here?
Year after year.
It's kind of crazy--really.
Staggering down the steps with the heavy boxes.
Dragging out the old tattered Christmas tree. 
Wondering if lights work 
and where are those special ornaments
we seem to have lost.
Standing on ladders, reaching high
to hang the green-colored wreaths.
Sending cards--with stamps as high as they are.
Thinking of menus 
and table settings 
and who will be here.
Moving all the stuff off the mantle--
to stretch lights, of all things 
and garland 
and greenery.

Why do we keep coming here?
Thinking again of mangers
and stars 
and shepherds
and over-filled rooms.
We've been here so often
we know it all by heart.
We move past bills 
and TV terrors
and political disappointments
and sad obituary notices
and aching backs
To see what folk have always seen--
Not much, really. 
Just hay 
and starlight
and common names 
like Mary and Joseph
and of all things
a baby. 
Just a baby.
  --Roger Lovette

(I wrote this piece in December 2016. Some of you may not have seen it and so I send it out again.)

-Roger Lovette / rogerlovette.blogspot.com

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