POEM - yule (ebb) tide

toss away the wreath (its evergreen is out of place anyhow)
untangle the wires with a twinkly knuckled light
wash the cookie tins and let them air dry to secular music
wrap the baby jesus in limp newsprint
let the vacuum suck up needle confetti and exhale mountain air
wrestle the tree with bear hug intent out the door
roll up the stockings once cherry and festive now anorexic and sad
peel the christmas cards from the wall and let the voices of loved ones
return to our silent longing memory
the christmas gifts that sit in celebratory piles - just the way they were opened –
seem a bit duller

let exhaustion come and do its work
let us return to our dreams of rest
let us worship in the faith of not doing
let us reacquaint ourselves with the beauty of stillness
with sleep and
with boredom’s gentle grace.