Final 2018 poetry competition results

Hope you had a good Christmas and the New Year will bring good health and an abundance of happiness to you all.

This month’s Harrow winner is Avril Candler and Rose Wilson has written Barnet’s winning entry.

Next month the subject is Good Intentions and I hope you all add Poetry Corner to your lists.

Christmas Secret by Avril Candler

 

He stands hands on hips, challenging

‘You’ve let me down! Made me believe

YOU LIED to me!’

she kneels, looks into his teary eyes

heart-wrenched, whispers

‘It’s not a real lie, just a little spun magic

round a long-ago truth, so children can dream

children can hope’

he sniffs a long-suffering sniff

shrugs and says

‘I knew all along…..

our chimney’s too small’

she kisses his reluctant cheek

‘Is it our secret?’

he nods, stands taller

grown up

 

 

Christmas - A Time for Giving and Sharing

by Rose Wilson

The ancient oak chest stood open wide

Exposing red velvet garments inside

A full year had passed since last he had felt

The comforting grip of his glossy black belt

Not a sign of wear, soot, moth or mould

Despite the robes being centuries old

Fully attired he stepped out into the night

Where the sleigh emitted a welcoming light.

In front of it, bathed in its soft warm glow

Stood reindeer, harnessed and ready to go.

The Naughty/Nice list he slipped into a pocket

Climbed aboard, tugged the reins and shot off like a rocket.

He dispersed all the gifts in the magical sack

Yet it bulged when Rudolph led him back.

That portly old gent and his hardworking elves

Were soon pulling crackers and enjoying themselves.

Sharing glasses of sherry and mince pies galore

Children left out for Santa the night before.

For he has a compulsion to spread good cheer

… and a need to fit into his outfit next year!

Real Illuminations by Richard Adam Berd - dedicated to his teacher

The blackness of a December night falls mercilessly into a grey brown sky.
Branches spike
And stoop,soaked by brown rain, green rain, mud sky.

Yet my Shammash appears.
A saviour to oranges, yellows,
Lovingly saturated in hot thick yellow green liquids, aflame.

These red, green, blue, baubels Blot out the mud skies above,
Along with the dark red Santa From childhood,  soaked in glitter,
As the shore lightens
Enclosing snowmen and green wreaths,
Becoming  the grey waves,
Ever giving,ever passing,alone,
Across the grey blue green seas.

Kusum Hars

Jingle bells jingle bells you hear around you at this time

Oh what fun it is, houses and shops lit to shine

Along the streets or the shops as far as you can see

Festive mood is on and people are cheerful as can be.

Music everywhere Christmas carols and Christmas songs

Feels so joyous and generous as the crowd moves along

Food and gifts,  gifts and food that is the trend

People busy with their thoughts of family and friends.

But some on this joyous occasion think of those

Who are less fortunate and have no one close.

For them CHRISTMAS is

(C)Care for the needy.              (H)Help the homeless

(R)Rescue the lonely ones.        (I)Invite people to donate and share

(S)In their selfless service.      (T)Thinking of others is their

(M)Motto in life.                        (A)Attending to others

(S)Is their satisfaction and joy.

Such is the Salvation Army who we are bound to see

Every Christmas playing their music while on shopping spree.

Looking at them we could this Christmas, if we can spare

Donate for those less lucky ones a part of our share.

Christmas, the cackling consumer 

by Ian Herne

I lost my stocking on the stairs.

It's now by the tree facing the armchair.

There's nothing much in it,

It's been a hard year.

The sherry and the very Scrooge of pain

Is laced with sadness in the unseasonal rain.

I write letters to the press

Guaranteed to make us feel depressed

About the lost and cold homeless fold

In the grip of the untold.

The Happy Meal from the smiling clown

Is never happy in this part of town.

When life is on the ropes and the final blow

comes round

At Christmas we seek to gladden.

But mother said it was an unhappy time,

And lifting dad into a drunken bed with

his dead weight only seemed to madden.

His obligatory cigar just a charred memory.

Commercial, silly, Prosecco poor.

The future is always peace or war.

But in between the seasons, in between

the stones, the tireless wheels of change

give us so many reasons to be grateful

with our usual plateful, sometimes tinged

with sprouty moans.

The Meaning of Christmas by Howard Lambe

Christmas is a time of peace and goodwill

A time for loving and sharing

A family time which fits the bill

Of thinking of others and of caring

The message that was sent to us all

By the Virgin birth was forgiveness

God's son was given to us as a saviour

To heal our sins and preach goodness

We celebrate this wondrous event

Each year on the twentyfifth of December

By the giving and the receiving of gifts

To help us always to remember

Two thousand years have passed by

Since three wise men followed a star

To Bethlehem and that little stable

To pray by the manger, they had travelled far

Today sadly the message is almost lost

As to why this day is so important

But Christians everywhere will never forget

Why he came to us for it must have been a portent

SEAWEED EMBRACES BY JANICE GILBERT

Seaweed embraces

Sardines glistening decorating the ceiling

A nice juicy pine will simmer and shine

Keeping in pace with a moment in TIME.

Leeks tied with bows formed as a cracker

It is very different,  but,  does it MATTER!

Pulled at the table,  will  eventually,  SPLATTER.

Cabbage Stew Mix  too throw in some  TRICKS

Onions as Borbles  shimmer and  shine

Telling one and all,  have a good TIME!

Flowers for a starter to brighten your DAY!

And a glass of RIBENA

To soak up the PREY!

Kesia Walker - age 14

Angelic voices fill the air, 

Indulging in festive fun without a care, 

Kids running about longing for snow, 

Shouting out to let everyone know: 

It's that day where your worries don't exist, 

Unwrap your presents with a tug and a twist, 

Spending time with your family is a lovely treat, 

Sitting by the fire to warm your feet. 

The scents of dinner get everybody running, 

Decorations and finishing touches look so stunning, 

Then snuggle up with your family and friends, 

Have as much fun as possible before it comes to an end. 

Reach deep into your stockings to reveal a fun surprise, 

To sing your songs and show your moves you must arise, 

Exhibit your cheerful, fancy jumpers with extravagant designs, 

There's no reason for moans and whines.

 

Christmas (How Do You Know)

© Jeffery A. Edmunds

Christmas never fails to enchant…

 

When windows and gardens are

full of lights, when carol singers

give out the familiar refrains

and rattle the tin…

 

When the cards and gifts start

coming in

When the nativity play and the

Christmas bazaar are over and

done…

 

When family have met and shared,

eaten together, dared to give

each other wet kisses and silly

cards…

 

On Christmas Eve, a kind of gentle,

happy peace pervades when quiet

moments allow

“It’s not real,” you say

How do you know…?

                                                            Christmas by George Jones

            It was a long time ago in Bethlehem, so the story goes;

            That Jesus was born, as every Christian knows.

           Born in a stable, poor & lowly, until the three kings arrived

           to complete the lovely story!

           In modern times, we still celebrate, eat lots of food & make a nice

           cake. We still think of the young, they are always number one, we          

           give them nice presents & have lots of fun!

           But it’s also a time to think of others! & treat everybody as sisters &  

           Brothers, don’t look for the differences, as some have us do!

           But love everybody and they will love you!

 Deck the Halls by June Faulkner

Deck the Halls?  Oh no!  Not yet - it's only August!......can we wait

a little later on to cheer the festive season of the year?

The pressure's on to do our best, with lots of food and gifts - a test

to have the brightest blingy show outside our door with lights that glow

and twinkle - there is Santa and the tree with ornaments for to all to see.

The kids are up at half past three......."Has Santa Been?" and "What's for me?"  

 It should be a happy time of cheer, with family parties, wine and beer

Let's hope that expectations don't surpass what really matters most...

We can't forget those who don't have much, or friends to share their Xmas lunch,

The baby Jesus in his stall....or the carol's words........... "goodwill to all".

Hope you enjoyed this small selection of poems received and maybe you'll enter January's competition, Good Intentions.

I wish you all good health and happiness in 2019.

Judy Karbritz

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