Taking down the Christmas lights

The 6th of January;

last night for

Christmas lights

. . . as ever,

a night for reflection.

Light, in the Dark of December

No Christmas lights adorned that house
For many years.
He had lost interest and gotten old.
And often the house seemed dark.
Yet fittingly so, in a peaceful way.

When his daughter died
It was decided he could not live there alone.
The house stood forlorn, unfittingly dark
Reflecting my sorrow from its empty face.

A new, young couple live there now.
They sleep late. The curtains are wrong.
They order pizza. A lot. But, oh my,
They’ve gone and put up Christmas lights!

All haphazard and higgledy-piggeldy,
Like kindergarten artwork full of joy and hope,
Bold, bright, alive.

If my friend could just see what they’ve done with the place!
Hard not to smile at what she’d think of that.
Awash with memories and glad of her friendship,
Fittingly light in a peaceful way.

And then it comes,
As clear as harp notes - epiphany in the midst of advent.
The view from my window has completely changed . . .
Life burgeons on.

©Devon Coles, 2007