Christmas Haiku
Carol of the bells— O Holy Night, silent night, sing the first Noel.
Over Bethlehem
A start explodes as the heavens rejoice over the Light of mankind.
Herald to the Shepherds
Rod striking iron— staff comforts man and sheep, the Shepherd is born.
Mailing a Christmas Letter
Writing, our hearts and minds were stirred, sealing our words under evergreen bristles wrapped in red fabric— tied in time, sent for the season, handed off for travel in time, to be delivered in a chorus as we gather our gifts together around the Christmas tree.
Christmas Spirit
Christmastime cookies and holiday cheer, the lights are my favorite this time of year. The meals are the best—it's a wonderful life— with friends and family, my kids and my wife. Santa Claus is coming, three nights, at least—we won't be home alone, but together—by window shining starlight at peace—under blankets and heaven atoned. For all the smiles and traditional rhymes, the sanctity still holds that split all time. Happiness and heaviness, holy as one— the joy of a Baby, our Savior, God's Son.
“Christmas Eve” by J. Hoover and Son, 1878, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Inspiration
The Three Haiku
“Christmas Haiku” came from a prompt I gave the creative writing group I help lead.
The prompt was literally two words: “Christmas writing.” The haiku I wrote draws from some of my favorite Christmas songs.
The other two haiku I wrote later, and build off the first.
“Over Bethlehem” suggests the Star over Bethlehem was a supernova.
The rod in “Herald the Shepherds” represents both a shepherd’s rod, and the clapper (or tongue) of a bell.
“Mailing a Christmas Letter” and “Christmas Spirit”
The letter poem is written off an earlier draft of my poem, “A Letter,” in which I ended with the visual of gather around a Christmas tree. I cut it from that poem (it wasn’t around Christmas), but decided I wanted to reuse it in a new work.
The last poem started as an attempt to be lighthearted, but the middle stanza took a turn, and I went with it.
Gift Wrapping it Up
I do like where I landed at the end of the “Christmas Spirit” poem.
Christmas has joy, and family, gifts and Christmas movies. Christmas also hold incredible holiness in celebrating the birth of our Savior.
And what better way for God to embody both—joy and the sanctity of life—than as a baby boy in his Son, Jesus.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 NIV
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”Luke 2:8–14 NIV
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
John 1:4 NIV
Merry Christmas!