Blue Willow Santa

Charming Christmas Editions
of my favorite china patterns,
Blue Willow and Chinese Legend:
Blue Santa and Blue Star by Spode

Singing in the Streets

I had almost forgotten the singing in the streets,
Snow piled up by the houses, drifting
Underneath the door into the warm room,
Firelight, lamplight, the little lame cat
Dreaming in soft sleep on the hearth, mother dozing,
Waiting for Christmas to come, the boys and me
Trudging over blanket fields waving lanterns to the sky.
I had almost forgotten the smell, the feel of it all,
The coming back home, with girls laughing like stars,
Their cheeks, holly berries, me kissing one,
Silent-tongued, soberly, by the long church wall;
Then back to the kitchen table, supper on the white cloth,
Cheese, bread, the home-made wine:
Symbols of the Night`s joy, a holy feast.

And I wonder now, years gone, mother gone,
The boys and girls scattered, drifted away with the snow-flakes,
Lamplight done, firelight over,
If the sounds of our singing in the streets are still there,
Those old tunes, still praising:
And now, a life-time of Decembers away from it all,
A branch of remembering holly spears my cheek,
And I think it may be so;
Yes, I believe it may be so.

Leonard Clark, 1905 - 81
English poet and anthologist
[See also This is the Night: "Hallowe'en"]

Christmas Poetry from Saint Faith's, Great Crosby
(near Liverpool, UK)

Blue Willow Santa ~ Tree Ornament

See also ~ Willow Willow Willow

This is the Night!

Halloween Accessories From Lizone's Jewelry With an Attitude
~ More About Lizone's ~
Hallowe'en
This is the night when witches fly
On their whizzing broomsticks through the wintry sky;
Steering up the pathway where the stars are strewn,
They stretch skinny fingers to the walking moon.

This is the night when old wives tell
Strange and creepy stories, tales of charm and spell;
Peering at the pictures flaming in the fire
They wait for whispers from a ghostly choir.

This is the night when angels go
In and out the houses, winging o’er the snow;
Clearing out the demons from the countryside
They make it new and ready for Christmastide.

Leonard Clark, 1905-1981
English poet and anthologist
[I wonder of there's a way to get a copy of
Clark's Christmas book for less than $36!]

Christmas Witches?
I love their red dresses!

Vintage Halloween Witch Stickers
by Violette
P.S. For celebrating the birthday of poet John Keats -- which just so happens to fall on 31 October -- check out this great blog:
Baroque in Hackney
"Halloween is the night the dead come back.
That’s how serious it is.
So happy birthday, John Keats."