December — A Collection of Festive Poems

The weather is getting colder, fall decorations are being stored away, and Christmas baking has already begun. Christmas time is known as one of the most festive times of the year, and to add to that festivity, I decided to compile a list of wintry poems to add to the holiday cheer.

The Snow Fairy by Claude McKay (the first part)

Throughout the afternoon I watched them there,

Snow-fairies falling, falling from the sky,

Whirling fantastic in the misty air,

Contending fierce for space supremacy.

And they flew down a mightier force at night,

As though in heaven there was revolt and riot,

And they, frail things had taken panic flight

Down to the calm earth seeking peace and quiet.

I went to bed and rose at early dawn

To see them huddled together in a heap,

Each merged into the other upon the lawn,

Worn out by the sharp struggle, fast asleep.

The sun shone brightly on them half the day,

By night they stealthily had stol’n away.

Winter Trees by William Carlos Williams 

All the complicated details

of the attiring and

the disattiring are completed!

A liquid moon

moves gently among

the long branches.

Thus having prepared their buds

against a sure winter

the wise trees

stand sleeping in the cold.

Christ’s Nativity by Henry Vaughan 

Awake, glad heart! get up and sing!

It is the birth-day of thy King.

Awake! awake!

The Sun doth shake

Light from his locks, and all the way

Breathing perfumes, doth spice the day.

Awake, awake! hark how th’ wood rings;

Winds whisper, and the busy springs

A concert make;

Awake! awake!

Man is their high-priest, and should rise

To offer up the sacrifice.

I would I were some bird, or star,

Flutt’ring in woods, or lifted far

Above this inn

And road of sin!

Then either star or bird should be

Shining or singing still to thee.

I would I had in my best part

Fit rooms for thee! or that my heart

Were so clean as

Thy manger was!

But I am all filth, and obscene;

Yet, if thou wilt, thou canst make clean.

Sweet Jesu! will then. Let no more

This leper haunt and soil thy door!

Cure him, ease him,

O release him!

And let once more, by mystic birth,

The Lord of life be born in earth.

Merry by Shel Silverstein

No one’s hangin’ stockin’s up,

No one’s bakin’ pie,

No one’s lookin’ up to see

A new star in the sky.

No one’s talkin’ brotherhood,

No one’s givin’ gifts,

And no one loves a Christmas tree

On March the twenty-fifth.

Blizzard by William Carlos Williams

Snow:

years of anger following

hours that float idly down —

the blizzard

drifts its weight

deeper and deeper for three days

or sixty years, eh? Then

the sun! a clutter of

yellow and blue flakes —

Hairy looking trees stand out

in long alleys

over a wild solitude.

The man turns and there —

his solitary track stretched out

upon the world.

Dust of Snow by Robert Frost

The way a crow

Shook down on me

The dust of snow

From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart

A change of mood

And saved some part

Of a day I had rued

Christmas Dog by Shel Silverstein

Tonight’s my first night as a watchdog,

And here it is Christmas Eve.

The children are sleepin’ all cozy upstairs,

While I’m guardin’ the stockin’s and tree.

What’s that now–footsteps on the rooftop?

Could it be a cat or a mouse?

Who’s this down the chimney?

A thief with a beard–

And a big sack for robbin’ the house?

I’m barkin’ I’m growlin’ I’m bittin’ his butt.

He howls and jumps back in his sleigh.

I scare his strange horses, they leap in the air.

I’ve frightened the whole bunch away.

Now the house is all peaceful and quiet again,

The stockin’s are safe as can be.

Won’t the kiddies be glad when they wake up tomorrow

And see how I’ve guarded the tree.

Many poems have been written and published, but did you know that songs are poetry too?  Just like spoken poems, some are free verse while some rhyme. But simply because we sing, rather than speak, songs doesn’t mean they can’t be a form of poetry too! Below I have included one of my favorite rhyming Christmas songs.

Let it Snow! By Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne

Oh, the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we’ve no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

It doesn’t show signs of stopping
And I brought some corn for popping
The lights are turned down low
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

When we finally kiss goodnight
How I’ll hate to go out in the storm
But if you really hold me tight
All the way home I’ll be warm

The fire is slowly dying
And my dear, we’re still goodbying
But as long as you love me so
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Hopefully you were able to keep warm and get in the Christmas spirit while reading these festive poems!  Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Works cited:

“The Snow Fairy.”  Poetry Foundation.  www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/53213/the-snow-fairy  November 18, 2019.

“Winter Trees.”  Poetry Foundation.  www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45504/winter-trees  November 18, 2019.

“Dust of Snow.”  Poetry Foundation.  www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44262/dust-of-snow  November 18, 2019.

“Merry – Poem by Shel Silverstein.”  Poem Hunter.  www.poemhunter.com/poem/merry/  November 18, 2019.

“Christmas Dog, poem by Shel Silverstein.”  Silver Birch Press.  silverbirchpress.wordpress.com/2013/12/25/christmas-dog-poem-by-shel-silverstein/  November 18, 2019.

“Christ’s Nativity.”  Poetry Foundation.  www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45425/christs-nativity  November 18, 2019.

“Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!”  Genius.  genius.com/Frank-sinatra-let-it-snow-let-it-snow-let-it-snow-lyrics  November 23, 2019.

Photos:

www.thesprucepets.com/puppies-christmas-tree-safety-2804754

pixabay.com/photos/snow-night-moon-cold-winter-trees-642454/

https://wallpaperplay.com/board/cute-winter-wallpapers