And so they come,
\nthese exhausting days of pleasure.
\nGood cheer and jangled nerves,
\npresents for everyone,
\neven those you would never
\ngive presents to,
\nthe too fat,
\nprosperous, arrogant, selfish.
\nAnd they get the best of these,
\nlest our gifts are lacking,
\nnot big enough for their bowls,
\nand worthy of their exalted station.<\/p>\n
And so the season comes on us.
\nGood will toward men,
\ntoward tyrants,
\ntoward judges,
\ntoward anyone who would rob us.
\nAnd I spend time making lists,
\nbut they are for those who owe me things.
\nPatience, when they shunned me.
\nA smile, when they frowned.
\nUnderstanding, when they read the paper.
\nWatched television as my heart broke.<\/p>\n
My presents this year
\nare the seeds I put out for birds,
\nthe occasional tulips eaten by squirrels,
\nthe small child,
\nin fact all children who appreciate my toys.
\nThe pleasure of ten dollars
\npressed in the hands of strangers
\nfading in a crowd,
\nthe pleasure of remaining silent
\nwhen I pray,
\ngiving God a break.<\/p>\n
It all goes back
\nto a child in Nigeria,
\nor was it Japan,
\nor perhaps New Guinea,
\nor wherever,
\nperhaps some waif in a castle,
\nor igloo.
\nBut these children are all the same.<\/p>\n
Like the chipmunks and squirrels,
\nor new hatchlings in the sea,
\ntheir eyes as wide as moons,
\nhearts pure as silver,
\nuntouched,
\nnew coins,
\npure happy souls,
\nlaying with sheep
\nand surrounded by wolves
\nwhose cubs
\ngive me something in return,
\nlove.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
And so they come, these exhausting days of pleasure. Good cheer and jangled nerves, presents for everyone, even those you would never give presents to,…<\/p>\n