A Christmas Poem
By William Franklin Bagley
Looking
back, it seems to me
Christmas is not what it used to be
Through
these eyes of years gone by
No
longer the child once was I
I recall long ago
All about the first fall of snow
Of cold late frost that froze your nose
Froze your ears and your toes
Then everything would turn pure white
We huddle around the fire site
This was a favorite time of year
We knew Christmas would soon be here
When the snow was about three feet deep
We’d go up to the mountains that were so steep
The logging roads were a glare of ice
So we’d go down there late at night
On a home made toboggan made of wood
We dreamed of a ride if only we could
The oldest one to steer the slay
The youngest one back part way
Up the hills back and forth
Never did we travel a straight…straight course
Up to the top of the mountains high
Where the mountains met the sky
There we’d stand in the snow and rest
This was the part that was the best
The freezing cold…it froze our breath
Even before it had left
Looking
out in the bright moon light
This
was one of the most beautiful sights
God made Christmas trees everywhere
Sparkling snow on them here and there
Shades of black, green, and gold
Standing so beautiful in the cold
Then to the bobsled we would go
Holding tightly together in the freezing snow
Faster and faster we seemed to go
What would happen…we didn’t know
Up and down – back and forth
We sure did go a crooked course
That logging road…it sure was rough
Just to conquer it would be enough
Then at last we slowed down
As we hit the even ground
Oh what a ride would not forget
Just one ride was enough of it
Christmas meant that we would feast
Upon chicken and ham or maybe roast beef
But one of the best I can boast
Was when we cooked the great goose roast
All summer long it seemed to me
That old gray goose loved beating me
His beak was long, sharp as a knife
When he came running…you ran for your life
I told him, “Now you wait and see
This thing will get settled between you and me”
I was so happy when Mom told me
A Christmas goose is what he’s going to be
Dad was busy as he could be
Making things for the girls and me
We’d pretend we didn’t see
Just what each object it would be
He made cars with wheels round as can be
And a gun and skis
Was what he made just for me
Baby beds and colored beads for the girls and
different colored blocks
They would all be wrapped up, we didn’t hang up
socks
Mom made gloves and skirts from flower sacks
Just like out of the store hanging on the racks
Some candy and some sweet rolls
She then made out of dough
Dad would cut a Christmas tree
Sometimes it didn’t look too good to me
Sometimes it was skinny and tall
Other times short and full
But when Mom was done with what she had
That Christmas tree just didn’t look bad
Bulbs of red, others of gold
Many colors for the eyes to behold
We go in town on Christmas Eve
For a movie we would see
Was always a treat from our Dad
He gave the best that he had
Then home we go…last things to do
And Mom made Dad oyster stew
It was a custom that he had
On Christmas he seemed to be glad
Then
to sleep we all would go
About
tomorrow we didn’t know
Then all at once it was here
Merry Christmas and happy cheer
Christmas meant the manger scene
And of a Christ child like a dream
We sang of him but once a year
And yet we held him so very dear
Away in the manger no crib for his bed
The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head
The stars up in heaven look down where he lay
The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay
This is Christmas the Christ Child
The promise of love
The touch of a loving heart
A loving family together
So I remember Christmas of long ago
Of December and the freezing snow
Of icicles from the eves
Of an old time Christmas tree
