Today we put away the Christmas ornaments
\nmainly decorated fragile glass balls
\nthat decorate our tree for a few weeks each year
\nand have done, most of them, for a half century
\ngive or take a dozen years or so.<\/p>\n
The sturdy black ones were the first we bought
\nfor our that little scotch pine that stood on the
\ntable in our first apartment; but they are not
\nthe oldest: those are your parents’
\ninherited with the house we live in now
\nsome of them over seventy years old<\/p>\n
Some reflect light beautifully, and they hang
\nstrategically behind the illuminated bulbs;
\nothers we have a theory about: some have
\na lovely sheen that seems mystical
\nothers were tough enough to hang at the bottom
\nof the trees, so curious pets and babies
\ncould do harm that could be fixed with glue<\/p>\n
They have presided over joyous
\ngift receptions and disappointments
\nover first kisses, tastes, approvals,
\nindiscretions, beginnings and ends,
\ntraditions such as pudding and
\npajamas in the living room<\/p>\n
Speeches and prayers, hymns and poetry
\nstories, photographs, memories of worth
\nheartfelt declarations all took life and grew into legend
\nin the rich reflected glow from these ornaments
\nthat will sit again, as they do for most of their existences
\nin ancient cardboard boxes whose mysteries are supended
\nat the beginning each year to be resumed at its end.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Today we put away the Christmas ornaments mainly decorated fragile glass balls that decorate our tree for a few weeks each year and have done, most of them, for a half century give or take a dozen years or so. … Continue reading