A Plea From Christmas Past

I wrote this song last Christmas a little bit before I joined WC. I had heard of people bemoaning the commercialization of Christmas for years, yet every year? Worse. This is a word of realization.

Believers know that the story’s right,

This Birth, at His divine behest;

So why this Night, which should be blessed,

Is now for sale, like all the rest?

The meaning of this Holy Night,

Now darkened by the tinseled lights,

Puts piety to spiritual test…and then…He’s born.

 

The blessed Night, in klieg-lit danger,

Does not suggest a rustic manger,

Akin to all the prophesies foretold.

That holiness now is bought and sold.

And the phrase he prays, that one lone stranger;

Echoes like the manger prayers of old…and then…He’s born.

 

            Why was this day, our Savior’s birth,

            A day of spiritual reverence,

            Replaced by love and peace divided?

            By one bright star three kings were guided,

            With gifts of humble deference;

            What would that cost be deemed as worth?

            And the Night that lore decreed be Silent

            Now screams with hatred -- greed - - violence….

Dwarfed by selfishness and scorn…

He’s born…

He’s born.

 

Black Friday’s framed by reckless spending,

Count your gadgets; happy ending?

Our knees, not wallets, should be bending…

For His bleak Friday, in much warmer season

Was Black for vastly different reasons

He would give his life to save us all…

            And we thank him now…inside the mall??

 

            Perhaps the faithful, on Christmas morn

            Devout in belief and on this day

            The world will sanctify and praise…

That He is born…..That He is born…!

 

           

dan © 2015

 

 

Music: “Hallelujah,” by Jeff Buckley

Author's Note

Reviews

[Amber Lily]

I am not a religious person, but I couldn't agree more with what you are trying to say. I'd much rather Christmas be about its roots rather than this mess. It is a time meant to be celebrated with happiness, not greed. I've never left my house on black Friday and proud to say I never will. The supposedly great deals are not worth a broken neck.
So very few people celebrate Christmas for its true meaning. These days it seems that the standards of being a 'good Christian family' just means making your kids happy with materialistic gifts.
This sends a great message and I hope people who read this will be reminded of why Christmas is around in the first place :)

[dan]

I'm a formerly religious guy who is not against Christmas but found out that way before I was too broke to worry about who's gettin' what (Answers: !. nobody, 2.nothing), back when my wife and I would enjoy Christmas not for what we got but what we gave...yeah, before all that, way before I was barely not-a-kid-anymore, I started to see the cracks in the Christmas façade. Now I think the true barometer, the measuring stick for the criteria to judge whether you've had a good Christmas or not is 1. are your kids still speaking to you? Without using profanity? 2. Exactly what date will it be when your home is foreclosed upon? 3. Is that gun loaded? 4. Wait!...can I get a strong drink? I'm glad you found something within my piece that touched you a bit. take care...dan

[JayceeC]

We do. Actually a little less shopping and more time making memories. Hope you and Dee have a blessed Christmas with those grandbabies. Children being a special joy to the season. May your family have a blessed Christmas season, Dan.

[dan]

Thank you, Jan! We hope that you and Otto and family and loved ones witness the happiness and joy that comes with Christmas and New Year. Happy (oh, God!) 2016! take care...dan

[Christine]

Love this poem, I think people forget the true meaning of Christmas. You have got your message over in a beautiful and skillful way.

[dan]

Christine, Thank you for your insightful review. I'm finally catching up on my RR obligations; please send me read requests? You're a good poet, I love your style and would like to see more of it, OK? take care...dan

[Crystal Overmeyer-Birmi..]

LOVE THIS, LOVE THIS SONG. I have a very personal relationship with this song and so for me to hold your work to the same level is like the highest compliment I can give. The thread though out your piece was solid and reverberate off the silliness and materialism of what this season has become. I really cant say anything else, it left me breathless and awestruck. Great Job my friend.

[dan]

This song is so filled with echoes of a gentle breeze, notes floating amongst emotions delineated by the song's imagery. The imagery I used in the write fed off of the symbolism delineated in the song's lyrics. I always include music (a lot of people have told me they'd prefer it left out) but before I post it I read my piece again to see if it stands alone well, without the music. I always make sure that is the case. Thanks again for your wonderful review. take care...dan

[JayceeC]

How easy it is to fall into the commercialism of the season, but while I think it's more important to give of yourself, I also recognize that with children avoiding it altogether may not be so easy. And so the delicate balancing act begins. The focus here is wonderful. I love the contrasts drawn between Good Friday and Black Friday. You take us full circle beginning to end, Alpha and Omega all the while pushing at the living through the middle.

[dan]

Jan, I'm not anti-Christmas, especially for the kids (Dee and I have 8 grandkids between us...and do WE spend) I am just against what I see as exploitation of a holiday for ca$h's sake. Heard my first Christmas commercial this year 2 days before Halloween! It was so much simpler not too long ago. take care...dan

[JayceeC]

As my kids for older we did fewer gifts and more meaningful gifts, but it's still a balancing act to make sure the Reason outways the commercialism.

[dan]

I just hope you and your family will enjoy each others' love and company this Christmas. It's really all about that. take care...dan

[Coyote Poetry]

I agree and I hope the same things.
" Perhaps the faithful, on Christmas morn
Devout in belief and on this day
The world will sanctify and praise…
That He is born…..That He is born…!"
Christmas should be time for family and renewal of our belief. Thank you for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[dan]

Thank you for the affirmative review. May this Christmas season bless you and your loved ones. take care...dan

[Coyote Poetry]

I hope the same for you and you are welcome.

[ANTO]

I like the religious tone - the overall message and the style of this Dan. I believe that when we write poems/stories/songs in this vein we are already doing some good to help counteract the waves of negativity that have come to portray Christmas the way it is nowadays.
Well penned my friend.

[dan]

Thank you ANTO, some of this is hard to write because hosts of people are perfectly happy with how things are. And I always get nervous when I write something that is the least bit controversial, my friends have been dwindling. I appreciate your viewpoint (even if it WAS negative) and thank you so much for the review. take care...dan

[Willard Wells]

Very nice writing and spot on. But as with all the killing it must be part of God's plan, since for the life of me I don't understand why he is not discussed and ready to pull the plug on this really long experiment.

Thank you for sharing your well crafted poem. Peace Out.

[dan]

Thank you, Willard. I didn't really want to focus on that, it's just so out of control. I'm not even really religious but I just want consumers to remember briefly (or for a good while) what the day means matters is up to everyone, free will. take care...dan

[ANTO]

Hi Dan, Will. I've just watched an advert for a chain-store. Do you know the sick f**ks that are the marketing dept of the big corps are actually trying to cash in on the good spirited people like yourself Dan and Will by implying that more buying (in the name of charity at their store of course) is conducive to the Xmas spirit. Do they have absolutely no scruples?

[Willard Wells]

When it comes to corporate greed, there is nothing that is out of bounds. If there's a dollar someone will go for it, but remember these quick ideas sometimes blow up. We can only hope.

[dan]

Advertisers INHERENTLY have no scruples. Company A will promise you everything short of sending your kids through college to sell you a product that MAY last a year. A new study shows that some fast food chains have been selling us products (burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries etc)(I know it's our fault to for ordering them) that in ONE SERVING there are 2400 mg of salt in it while the daily recommended amount is 1200 per DAY. Did YOU ever notice that at the bottom of TV commercials for certain products are extremely small print letters telling us something...what, we can't see. And they leave it up there 2.5 seconds That way they can LEGALLY say the public's been sufficiently WARNED. If I had a billion dollars I would have a network that was commercial free. I know...never happen. I'm just sayin'...take dan

[dan]

Just got your comment, Willard. Speaking of advertisement and greed, let's elect Trump? kidding...read moreJust got your comment, Willard. Speaking of advertisement and greed, let's elect Trump? kidding...
This tinseltown marathon Xmas (intentional...) s**t is ridiculous. I try to ignore but cannot move 5 feed without being clubbed by it in some form. I feel like a hamster that can't get out of his wheel. take care...dan

[Melinda McQueen]

What a lovely write. You captured emotional in such detail.
It's good to remember the reason.

[dan]

I'm definitely not anti-Christmas, I just abhor the blatant exploitation of the day to make retailers wallets fatter. If everyone would take a minute to realize, is it all worth the stress and pressure to buy the perfect gift? So badly that you would fight in a mall to do so? Thank you for the read/review. take care...dan

[AaronFreitas]

This is an amazing and honest write Dan! We have taken Christmas, a celebration of the birth of our Lord, and made it about presents and gifts. Just like we took Thanksgiving and turned it into a mess with instead of being thankful we are rushing to stores for great deals. We took the 4th of July and made it all about fireworks and profit. We have lost sense of the appreciation of what is real. We (and I don't mean all) don't appreciate and connect to the birth of Christ. It becomes a month I dread as it means I'm going to spend $700-$1000 on gifts for my kids and family. I wish we could get back to seeing what is important in life... amazing write with amazing insight my friend. :)

[dan]

We've had a tough year so Dee and I can't even afford to give each other a gift. Using what little we have for our grandchildren. Our kids will no doubt be pissed. Thank you for your timely review, always appreciate your feedback. take care...dan

[AaronFreitas]

It is tough and I swear if one year you spend $20 the assumption is $25 the next year. It never seems like it's enough. I know I for me... I wrote my dad this long letter to really express how thankful I am for him and what he's done for me. No gift and monetary amount could express that. I know for him just to hear that was better than any gift :)

[dan]

Yeah, I'm hoping my son will take a minute to call me. Thanks for your reply. take care...dan

[B]

The reality of your words
Its a shame how a holiday so dear to the heart
can turn into another commercial ad

i can totally relate to your words

[dan]

I am NOT anti-Christmas, I am simply appalled by what it's turned into in my lifetime. Thanks so much for your read/review. take care...dan

[B]

i know
i love Christmas
just hate the politics