Written for dVerse Poets’ Open Link Night--a reflection on the meaning of Christmas.
Sunshine, with Partial Cloudiness
i.
You stop me cold.
I’m lost in a fog
of steam, thoughts
and ruminations.
Then you peek through
the shower glass,
enlighten a droplet
of water, burst colors—
prisms to interrupt
my distractions.
ii.
In a bubble forming
on my forearm, you capture
my attention again,
force me to the present
moment. I notice the play
of spray on my bare skin,
hear the colors of music.
Through almost-closed blinds,
your light slows
in song to praise,
to dissipate dark clouds,
naked tree branches.
iii.
Is this how it was
for shepherds grazing
their flocks that night?
For kings searching
to grasp mysteries?
For us common folk
who muddle through life,
grapple with violence?
iv.
The feather of a cedar
waxwing, snags on the
tree outside my window
flutters in the breeze.
I can’t see wind,
only discern its presence
by its effect on something
tangible. Children died.
But love shines through
if you look for it.
v.
Yesterday in K-Mart,
at the LayAway counter
an older couple paid
down the debt of shoppers
who were delinquent,
scanning accounts that had
children’s toys. A younger
man, bearing no resemblance
whatsoever to Santa,
dropped $300 in cash
on the counter. “Add this
to whatever they do.”
vi.
So, where is the Sun?
So, where is the Son?
Merry Christmas to all! The Pub opens Tuesday, 15:00 EST. Hope to see as many of you as are able to make it. Don’t forget, you can join us on Wednesday, too.

I like this – you just showed that amidst the evil that happens, there are a lot of good people out there and they make a good difference in the lives of others. And there are more of them than evil ones. There is hope.
Happy new year to you.
its your birthday, its your birthday
happy birthday, happy birthday
happy happy happy birthday
happy happy happy birthday
happy happy happy birthday
2 U 2 U 2 U!!!!!!!!!
smiles.
if you pop into the pub we will sing to you some more….
Ah, I read this yesterday and again today with equal joy. This is one for the heart and the values expressed, the hope, so touching. Tears.
Hi Victoria,
I have nominated you for two awards – The Wonderful Team Member Readership Award and the Blog of the Year 2012 Award! Please check out the link provided for more details http://normamartiri.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/awards/.
Congratulations and blessings! Norma
So many great insights, the Kmart one made me teary. I love it when we help our fellowman.
this has a really nice flow and I’m touched by the the way it swells to a crescendo for the final chord…
I love this. Hope you had a wonderful holiday
“your light slows
in song to praise,
to dissipate dark clouds
naked tree branches….” liked this lines especially…what a perfect pice of writing for today…captured Christmas..:)
I loved your style of writing. Its amazing. Happy holidays
so, where is the sun?
so, where is the son?
powerful lines… http://unshakenthoughts.com/2012/12/15/ganges-of-rishikesh/
I love this! The colors of music..The feather of a cedar
waxwing… wonderful!
Victoria, this is a wonderfully written piece, one of those that the reader just doesn’t come across enough. Really loved this piece, perfect for today. Thanks and hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas
A thoughtful journey here of kindness and wonder- you move from one thought to another clearly but also seamlessly. Acts of kindness are everywhere, it’s true. k.
I love this part:
“enlighten a droplet
of water, burst colors”
This is lovely, Victoria.
Beautifully written–I especially like stanza iv. The poem as a whole inspires me to greater kindness, thanks much for the inspiration!
I think we can find the Son, and the sun, in the little things, those unexpected and random acts of kindness. Isn’t it out of the darkness that such things shine the brightest?! Thank you for sharing this lovely poem with us, Victoria.
Beautiful work in this one. I love how your images move from nearly parenthetical to voluminous, almost like the ebb and flow of clouds obscuring, then framing, the Sun (Son).
That’s lovely. Perhaps there is hope for the world, after all.
A ring of kindness and warmth, so true Victoria! There’re kind souls who go out of their way to render help, all in the spirit of Christmas!
Hank
Resonates the true spirit of ‘christmas, isn’t it wonderful what happens… very heartwarming there is still hope.
This is lovely… Merry Christmas Victoria!
Stopped back in. You know, I have to say (on this Christmas day), that one of my favorite things about your site is your wonderful picture in your blogs left column.
Happy Holidays!
The perfect poem for the season, a great reminder of what the season is really about. Thank you for sharing.
just beautiful… Merry Christmas
so filled with the spirit and depth of the meaning of Christmas these lines are, Victoria.. hope you enjoy holidays. wish you a wonderful New Year~
kindness, Victory, this is what holds the world in balance….beautiful series of poems, so full of love.
I love the heart of this…specially the 4th and 5th stanzas ~ He is where goodness in our hearts reign strong and mighty ~
Interesting panentheistic images — water, light, wind. Then, back to earth at Walmart where real people make the world brighter.
Thanx
there’s just wonderful warmth and hope in this…we will see the good things around us when we open our eyes and hearts…love this victoria and wishing you a wonderful, blessed and relaxed christmas time..thanks for your mail as well yesterday..we sang these german christmas carols yesterday evening as well..me and miriam playing the piano..was a fun time…smiles
I loved this, Victoria. There is goodness still in the world…we just have to look. Merry Christmas, Victoria…may yours be one surrounded in love and peace. My best wishes to you.
Where is the son, I ask until I remember I’m the one who’s lost. You remind me of the message I will hear when I’m found yet again.
children died but love shined through if you look for it…smiles…christmas is here, if you look for it as well…there is def a shadow this year with all the pain…but we can be christmas…smiles…
i want you to know your posts like this, looking at the facets inspired a poem i will post in a week or so…they are so cool…i hope you have a wonderful christmas victoria!
I agree with Susan–perfect for today. Thank you and enjoy your holiday celebrations.
Victoria–this is absolutely perfect for today.
What a wonderful poem for the holiday…Loved all the details that you included. Made my heart sing to read about the older couple who paid down the debt of shoppers who hadn’t kept up with layaway…and the younger man who joined in. That is where I believe the SUN (Son too) is….in people like that who live the meaning of Christmas,