Entry #15: For the Married Ladies of the Blog

A Poem for a Christmas Eve 

The smell of the cookies now packed in the jar
still hung in the fir scented air,
And weary Amanda, with time to herself,
sat slumped in her favorite arm chair.

The children were scrubbed and all safe in their beds,
awaiting first glow of the day;
Their sleep undisturbed by the drumming of hooves
and by Santa unloading his sleigh.

Her husband had added a coat of red paint
to the rocking horse out in the shed,
And waving his hand as he climbed up the stairs
he was saying, “I’m going to bed.”

The last of the presents were wrapped ‘neath the tree,
the stockings were stuffed to the top.
The dishes from supper still drained in the sink,
and water still dripped from the mop.

The jello was setting, the turkey was thawed,
the apples were peeled for the pie,
And cards she had written were hanging in homes
of her friends far away and near-by.

And flickering ’round without making a sound
in the darkness were lights from the tree.
There resting among all the branches a card
to her husband read, “Dearest, From Me.”

The windows were shut to the winter outside,
the doors were all locked for the night.
And just for a moment Amanda remained
to reflect in the Christmas tree light.

For this was her moment alone to herself,
her time at the end of the day;
A chance to sort out all her feelings and thoughts-
to express what she wanted to say.

She rubbed and massaged, at the back of her neck,
closed her eyes, and sought to record
The things of her heart on that late Christmas Eve,
and whispered, “I love You, Lord.”