On the second day of January, a friend hosted a festive dinner. It started at four in the afternoon and lasted until twelve midnight. On the way home, snow fell, and the next morning our world was white and wooly. After being closed down for Thanksgiving and Christmas, this event was our holiday delight.
At the party, we got to see our friend’s Christmas tree. He had decorated it with feathers, birds, silver beads, garlands, and real candles. A fire extinguisher was nearby. The tree featured large colorful tropical parrots, red birds, snow birds, pheasant quill feathers, and white marabou plumes. A brown owl was tucked in to watch the scene. Tiny blue lights flickered from deep in the foliage. It was a spectacular sight. The host provided an Asian themed meal, and the food was delicious. It was served in courses that seemed never to stop. Dessert included fruit cake in brandy sauce.
Several people told about a sailing trip they’d taken in the Virgin Islands, from St. Thomas and St. John, and one person added, “It was a miracle. I was expecting all sorts of problems, but everything went perfectly.” Her comment led me to remember a poem in GOOD POEMS as selected by Garrison Keillor. The poem is “Sometimes” by Sheenagh Pugh. I had to check it out the next day.
Sometimes things don’t go, after all,
from bad to worse. Some years, muscadel
faces down frost; green thrives; the crops don’t fail;
sometimes a man aims high, and all goes well.
A people sometimes will step back from war;
elect an honest man; decide they care
enough , that they can’t leave some stranger poor.
Some men become what they were born for.
Sometimes our best efforts do not go
amiss; sometimes we do as we meant to.
The sun will sometimes melt a field of sorrow
that seemed hard frozen: may it happen for you.
At first I thought Muscadel was misspelled, but it isn’t. I also had to look up Sheenagh Pugh and read what she said about her poem. Interesting. Nevertheless, I like the poem, and I’m sharing it here because the past year has been so divisive, so miserable, and so discouraging. Sometimes we need to think positively, that in the long run of things, people will “face the frost” and “thrive.” Covid-19 will be a memory. The political campaigns will be analyzed and useful to future generations. Sometimes things work out. May that happen. Happy New Year.
At the party, we got to see our friend’s Christmas tree. He had decorated it with feathers, birds, silver beads, garlands, and real candles. A fire extinguisher was nearby. The tree featured large colorful tropical parrots, red birds, snow birds, pheasant quill feathers, and white marabou plumes. A brown owl was tucked in to watch the scene. Tiny blue lights flickered from deep in the foliage. It was a spectacular sight. The host provided an Asian themed meal, and the food was delicious. It was served in courses that seemed never to stop. Dessert included fruit cake in brandy sauce.
Several people told about a sailing trip they’d taken in the Virgin Islands, from St. Thomas and St. John, and one person added, “It was a miracle. I was expecting all sorts of problems, but everything went perfectly.” Her comment led me to remember a poem in GOOD POEMS as selected by Garrison Keillor. The poem is “Sometimes” by Sheenagh Pugh. I had to check it out the next day.
Sometimes things don’t go, after all,
from bad to worse. Some years, muscadel
faces down frost; green thrives; the crops don’t fail;
sometimes a man aims high, and all goes well.
A people sometimes will step back from war;
elect an honest man; decide they care
enough , that they can’t leave some stranger poor.
Some men become what they were born for.
Sometimes our best efforts do not go
amiss; sometimes we do as we meant to.
The sun will sometimes melt a field of sorrow
that seemed hard frozen: may it happen for you.
At first I thought Muscadel was misspelled, but it isn’t. I also had to look up Sheenagh Pugh and read what she said about her poem. Interesting. Nevertheless, I like the poem, and I’m sharing it here because the past year has been so divisive, so miserable, and so discouraging. Sometimes we need to think positively, that in the long run of things, people will “face the frost” and “thrive.” Covid-19 will be a memory. The political campaigns will be analyzed and useful to future generations. Sometimes things work out. May that happen. Happy New Year.
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