Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Old-Fashioned Christmas

Not a sound
in the Matheson Cove,
snow glowing on black velvet,
cattle kneel at midnight.


Rabbit tracks zigzag
across the Shewbird Mountain,
wood smoke curves heavenward,
icicles hang from the log cabin.


Hickory sticks pop and crackle
in the fireplace,
cornpone bakes in the Dutch oven,
paper chains and popcorn


drape the fir tree.
Young'uns toss in the featherbeds,
listen for reindeer on the roof,
will Santa Claus find the cove?


Early on Christmas morning,
cranberry skies spill over
the Blue Ridge Mountains
echoing with sleigh bells.


Ronda, Reba, Ralph, Reuben, Rena,
Robenia, Robert and baby Ray,
grab goodies from their stockings:
apples, oranges, hazel nuts,


candy canes, peppermint drops,
and toys Granddaddy carved.
Before breakfast, Ma reads
the story of baby Jesus.


Robert gets his fiddle,
voices blend with carols.
An old-fashioned Christmas,
tinsel glistens in the candlelight.
--Brenda Kay Ledford


I wish all my blogger friends a blessed and peaceful Christmas.








11 comments:

Henny Penny said...

Oh, I felt like I was there in the log cabin with them. Wishing you a merry Christmas too.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Christmas Blessings to you.

magnoliasntea said...

Beautiful memories! I wish I'd grown up in Matheson Cove, too.
Thank you for sharing.

Connie said...

Lovely poem, Brenda. It depicts a wonderful family Christmas. I hope you have a peaceful and happy Christmas.

Anonymous said...

A truly beautiful poem. Merry Christmas.

lil red hen said...

Brenda, this is just so very special! Much removed from all the hustle and bustle of the crowds and sales, it brings the wonderful celebration of Christmas from the past, when families didn't have "stuff" all year and they knew the real reason we keep the Christmas season. God bless you and yours, and have a Merry Christmas.

Janet, said...

Very nice, Brenda! Sounds like a wonderful Christmas. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

What a beautiful picture of a tree I might have seen as a child, and I love the poem, too. Merry Christmas!

Susie Swanson said...

Really love this post Brenda. Merry Christmas and a Happy New year to you and your mother.

Eggs In My Pocket said...

Lovely poem! Wishing you a very merry Christmas and a blessed new year!

Anonymous said...

You are in my thoughts tonight and I wanted to stop back by to say Merry Christmas.