Silence is golden, as they say. Enjoyed this peace a lot. And yes I spelled it that way on purpose.
Blessings J'nia

Jude your work is brilliant!! I tried to post a comment on Aftermath but was so excited to comment I pressed the enter key before I wrote and it would not allow me to post again. I'm an author not a poet really, but thought I would test the waters and posted a few here. I am so glad I did because it has opened up a whole new world for me! What an honor to be among the gifted and read your works!

My best to you always,
"Continue to Greatness!"
~Dena

The madder life gets, the more crass or downright facile, the more the gentle silence and stillness of the true soul shouts to be heard. Its common entity, essence and truth will be the same for every angel, elf, philistine and saint. Hyperactivity only serves to hone its irresistible attraction and glow. It has the magic of the Toymaker's brightly-lit shop window! :)) xx

I find your verses particularly meaningful and prophetic. Thank you for sharing, Jude. Love and peace to you,

Regis

Jude,
This reminds me of how easy it is to miss those not with us at Christmas. Your poem has a finite balance of positive/negative feelings. Love and Hugs,
Sheila

An excellent poem,I enjoy reading it,take care

Edwin

excellent and profound write
Peace be with you

MERRY CHRISTMAS
William

..so true Jude..under those jingling bells are the silence of bells that are not jingling. superb poem

A bitter sweet view of a bitter sweet world, only as merry as we make it in all the sadness.

Ron

Another amazin write! Filled with great imagery and feeling! HUGS! SC

I have to echo Marcia on this one Jude...this has so much emotion and feeling as well as thought that you have to love it.
hugs
Santa Fee

and then there's the whole naughty and nice thing...:)

First, love the poem! Second, I find it hard to get into the spirit with all the negativism of today's life: hungry children, homeless families and individuals, wars aplenty, escalating prices and the GD commercialism of Christmas. TV started running Christmas commericals before Thanksgiving had arrived. My son moved to Costa Rica four years ago. Something tells me he's a helluva lot smarter than his mother who didn't join him for the move.
Hugs,
Marcia

Profound and poignant. The contrasting really makes the poem powerful. Love the metaphors. Awesome. Liz

The last stanza says it all, great write!

wonderful metaphors Jude, gifts of silence, wounded sky,
God is listening, but most of our prayers make no sense to him do they? Blessings! Jasmin Horst

The duality of life fits perfectly at Christmas for it is the very time that the way we choose to live is exposed! Excellent, Jude...

Thank God for what we have and what we share for one day we may lose it.

Holidays certainly can be a mixed bag. When we look at how we celebrate and how such a large part of the rest of the world does without, it feels a bit shameful. You have given us a pointed look at the flip-side of the holidays...No bright colored lights, no stockings hung with care, no fantasy white Christmas, here.
Take care,
Sherry

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!! Liana Margiva

Kind of describing anyone of my Christmas, although, some has been less sad than others.
"...life's opposing forces, where "reality" decays..." as we get older we are privy to see what reality looks like.

Georg

Sounds as if you know Santa personally...could ya put in a good word for me...;-) Ed & Rufuz