Happy whatever day of Christmas this is! On reading Isaiah and Titus at Mass to the masses. Poetry by Hardy, Rossetti and Merrill. Contemplating trees and carols.
Such a lovely meditation. I'll admit that lines like "fall on your knees" jostle me rather forcibly out of the Christmas dream, but there is a lot of lovely music surrounding the holiday. I enjoy the decorations, Christmas cookie exchanges, and the ritual of selecting and cutting our own family tree. For me the meaning of the season sits squarely in family time. I'm grateful for a stretch of color and joy during the darkest part of the year.
I'm fascinated by "The amulets and milagros" in the Merrill Christmas Tree poem, especially the milagros, as they are little metal charms given as offerings at shrines, given to saints in thanksgiving for miraculous healing, often shaped like the body part that has been healed.
and then there are:
"A heart, a little girl, a Model T, / Two staring eyes"-- these lines poem remind me of The Great Gatsby where the characters drive past the billboard with the eyes, where Daisy is described as girl-like and Gatsby gives her his heart. I doubt that invocation is intentional, but it's interesting to think how the tree is adorned with these images and what they might mean. Are they intended to be milagros and amulets? And if so what kind of healing are they invoking?
As a believer in deathbed conversions and a person who chooses to live in constant hope for the salvation of souls, I think one can choose to read Merrill's poem against the biographical grain and dare to hope that all the meanings of Christmas which cling to the tree are there, perhaps beyond the conscious grasp of the poet, but not beyond the grasp of his soul. And so at the beginning of this jubilee year of Hope, I dare to hope that the hand which reached out to grasp a Christmas tree was met by the hand reaching out from the Cross. That final line seems like such a very hopeful one.
I love the Gatsby connection because I can see those images fitting so well, but given some other analyses I’ve heard I think it’s different. Did you listen to Elijah’s explication on Versecraft. It’s really good, though I disagree that Bea stands for Beatrice in Dante’s DC. 🤷♀️
By the end of this lovely essay, I had the Easter Proclamation ringing in my ears. He is risen! He is risen indeed!
I hope that you all are feeling better. My wife was sick, felt better, and is back to sick again. I am home ministering in toner while our kids are worshipping at church.
Thank you, Jeff. Yes, I was feeling better but I seem to have a sore throat now. Sigh. Never ends. Glad you are able to care for your wife. Hope she gets better soon and that no one else gets sick! Have a blessed Christmas season! Thank you for reading. 🎄
I always learn so much from your posts. They are filled with much to ponder. My husband is a trained singer and sang O Holy Night both in English and French and also sang Ave Maria at our church. Many Christmas blessings to you and your family!
Thank you so much, Diane. You know, I’m always in grateful wonder that I get read at all. Your husband must be a fantastic singer. O Holy Night spans an octave and a half! When I was a little girl I was a soloist for Ave Maria at my school Christmas pageant. (I think I peaked early in my music career. 😂) Have a blessed Christmas and New Year! Love hearing from you. ❤️
Such a lovely meditation. I'll admit that lines like "fall on your knees" jostle me rather forcibly out of the Christmas dream, but there is a lot of lovely music surrounding the holiday. I enjoy the decorations, Christmas cookie exchanges, and the ritual of selecting and cutting our own family tree. For me the meaning of the season sits squarely in family time. I'm grateful for a stretch of color and joy during the darkest part of the year.
Always lovely to go back to Hardy's poetry. Thank you, Zina!
I'm fascinated by "The amulets and milagros" in the Merrill Christmas Tree poem, especially the milagros, as they are little metal charms given as offerings at shrines, given to saints in thanksgiving for miraculous healing, often shaped like the body part that has been healed.
and then there are:
"A heart, a little girl, a Model T, / Two staring eyes"-- these lines poem remind me of The Great Gatsby where the characters drive past the billboard with the eyes, where Daisy is described as girl-like and Gatsby gives her his heart. I doubt that invocation is intentional, but it's interesting to think how the tree is adorned with these images and what they might mean. Are they intended to be milagros and amulets? And if so what kind of healing are they invoking?
As a believer in deathbed conversions and a person who chooses to live in constant hope for the salvation of souls, I think one can choose to read Merrill's poem against the biographical grain and dare to hope that all the meanings of Christmas which cling to the tree are there, perhaps beyond the conscious grasp of the poet, but not beyond the grasp of his soul. And so at the beginning of this jubilee year of Hope, I dare to hope that the hand which reached out to grasp a Christmas tree was met by the hand reaching out from the Cross. That final line seems like such a very hopeful one.
I love the Gatsby connection because I can see those images fitting so well, but given some other analyses I’ve heard I think it’s different. Did you listen to Elijah’s explication on Versecraft. It’s really good, though I disagree that Bea stands for Beatrice in Dante’s DC. 🤷♀️
By the end of this lovely essay, I had the Easter Proclamation ringing in my ears. He is risen! He is risen indeed!
I hope that you all are feeling better. My wife was sick, felt better, and is back to sick again. I am home ministering in toner while our kids are worshipping at church.
Thank you, Jeff. Yes, I was feeling better but I seem to have a sore throat now. Sigh. Never ends. Glad you are able to care for your wife. Hope she gets better soon and that no one else gets sick! Have a blessed Christmas season! Thank you for reading. 🎄
I always learn so much from your posts. They are filled with much to ponder. My husband is a trained singer and sang O Holy Night both in English and French and also sang Ave Maria at our church. Many Christmas blessings to you and your family!
Thank you so much, Diane. You know, I’m always in grateful wonder that I get read at all. Your husband must be a fantastic singer. O Holy Night spans an octave and a half! When I was a little girl I was a soloist for Ave Maria at my school Christmas pageant. (I think I peaked early in my music career. 😂) Have a blessed Christmas and New Year! Love hearing from you. ❤️