A poem for Christmas

I said it before: I don’t consider myself a poet, but I do write the occasional poem, mainly for my wife. She is my inspiration. I usually write her one for her birthday, Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Christmas. I’ve written probably over 50 so far. When I told her I want to publish them, she said they belong to her and are not mine to publish. And I respect her wish, but sometimes I make an exception and publish one, like the poem I wrote for her for this Christmas. Here it is:

A Christmas poem for my wife

Christmas joy and Christmas cheer

Another Christmas Eve is here

We take stock of what we have

We may cry but also laugh

Many Christmases we now have had

Most were happy, some were sad

We remember loved ones, no longer here

We may even shed a little tear

But mainly we do celebrate

We eat chocolates and cookies from a plate

We drink coffee or a cup of tea

We enjoy spending time with our family

The children are waiting for Santa to arrive

The little one is four, going on five

There is no greater pleasure and joy

Than watching a child unwrap a new toy

Bows and ribbons are everywhere

It’s a bit messy, but we don’t care

Let’s have a drink, or maybe two

It’s Christmas Eve and I love you

The best present I ever received in my life

Was the day when you became my wife

You were all I ever needed my dear

Merry Christmas

and

Happy New Year

Writing a poem isn’t much different from writing a story. First, of course, I need a theme, but my heart has to be in it also. That’s why writing a poem for my wife is easy. 

Like I said, I’m not into poems and haven’t done any studies on how to write them. I’m sure there are rules. However, sometimes other writers publish their poems on the forums I visit and I must say, I’ve read some awful stuff. Some so-called poems don’t rhyme at all. The writers just write a string of words, sometimes unfinished sentences, and give them their own lines. This is an example of what I’ve seen (not exactly something I read. I made this one up, but it is close enough to give you an idea):

Ice, Water, cold

Must go swimming

Cold, cold, cold

Wet and strange

Clouds in the sky

Flowers and rain

Beauty everywhere

Snowflakes in the clouds

Fairies dancing

Blah...blah...blah...

Went out into the rain

Saw mud all over the place

Strange, how the sounds make echoes

Everywhere mud and water

Must write a poem about this

Wonderful experience with water

in the can and in the sky

Fell into a puddle

And got wet

And dirty

Crazy people watch

Must fly to Africa (Huh?)

The mantra of the world rests on my shoulders

And it is my calling to follow it

Blah...blah...blah.

I’m not kidding, I read similar stuff like that. It doesn’t make any sense and it doesn’t even rhyme, but then again, I’m not a poet. What do I know?

Merry Christmas to you all.

If anyone of you faithful readers is interested in reading more about poems, perhaps get a little chuckle, I wrote about this (much of it exactly the same stuff) on my book blog Herbert’s Place. I added a few things to it to make it a bit humorous. Couldn’t help myself. Here is the link: http://www.hegro.blogspot.com/