lighting the christmas tree in the auburn square
this tree will be our own
rising star it will sparkle
even if there are clouds in the sky
this soft-needled fir
glowing with light
the greens blues reds
the yellows all
the good colors these
tinsel cheers in a dark evening
the winter wearing to that
cold hour when the snow swirls
may hide the solstice
and we will find once more
the vast dark of that shattering
from which all this light
gleaming in our eyes was drawn
and so for those who will
come here now and share these lights
and for those who have
lived here in our time
or back as far as the generations go
and for those who will yet
come here in some further season
when the lights flicker again
let us ask a blessing for them all
and yes and for ourselves
mangered now in this bright hour
© John Knoepfle 2004
This article appears in Dec 23-29, 2004.
