(Translated from the French for a poetry workshop.) By this in no way do I mean disrespect for the season's true meaning. My very best wishes to all of you.
I believe I’ve lost the magic of childhood The spirit of Christmas is buried Smothered in too much synthetic snow Misplaced in too much red and green and gold Mislaid by too many Santa Clauses Hiding scowls behind fake beards And frustratingly false laughter Vanished in too many post-Halloween Christmas carols That had worn out their charm Well before the first of December The radiance of Christmas Is blinded by too many electric lights Blinking ceaselessly all day All night All it will take is a power outage And all will be dark
Perhaps then By the light of the stars I shall find Christmas once more
Copyright 2003 by Regis J. Auffray All rights reserved
J’ai perdu Noël
Je crois mais j’ai perdu la magie de mon enfance L’esprit de Noël est enseveli sous trop de neige synthétique assourdi parmi trop de rires forcés derrière les fausses barbes de trop de pères noël frustrés La lumière de Noël est aveuglée par trop de lampes électriques qui scintillent sans cesse même en plein jour Les chants de Noël qu’on fait jouer depuis la Toussaint ont perdu leur charme depuis bien avant même le premier décembre Une seule panne d’électricité et la noirceur règnera
Peut-être à la lueur des étoiles je retrouverai Noël
Your writing always has a message and I understand what you are saying. Time has a way of changing many life events and it's a sad truism in todays society. I still love Christmas and when the season nears, my heart still rejoices and I feel that excitement once again that was with me during my childhood days......M
INDEED, THERE IS NO DISRESPECT INTERPRETED IN THIS WORK, REGIS, BUT A PINE TO ONCE EXPERIENCE ALL THAT CHRISTMAS IS REALLY ALL ABOUT. I LOVED IT AND I'M SAVING IT. THANKS FOR SHARING. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU! LOVE, BLESSINGS AND FAITH, JOYCE * HIS INSPIRATIONS
Christmas Joy comes but once a year and it's not the same as when I was a child.
Reviewed by Elizabeth Hobbs (Reader)
Reviewed on January 21, 2009
Hi Regis
Religion aside, as we grow older, how can we renew the magic of the season? It's not an unhappy time, just the same old, same old. We've gone as far as not eating a traditional meal any more. We cook new recipes from all over the world. You've given us a lot of food for thought. Well done, cheers! Liz
I am glad you pointed this one out to me. I had missed it. Yes, we are to quick to think of Christmas as a day for presents or just another of many holidays. Maybe that is why People find it easier to say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas.
This was a great piece of work.
God Bless,
Lew
You make valid points in this poem, Reg: the commercialization.
We see and hear the commercial "bling-bling" of Christmastime, but that is not what is in our hearts. Do fireworks really represent our 4th of July? Does a box of candy represent our love? Do colored eggs represent The Resurrection? The truths of each of these holidays is so much more than the 'trimmings', if we only remember...
Beautiful and so well spoken (ooops, written). So much tinsel and pretense now...but I do still believe in the spirit of Santa Claus. Christmas is for sharing, being thankful and caring about each other. So many have lost the ability to do that in their competition for "things." Awesome piece, Regis, so well said.
Oh, I can relate to this one, Regis. All the magic, the anticipation, the sense of festivity, the special atmosphere that transformed the whole city of my childhood...I've missed all of it during all too many years.
"By the light of the stars
I shall find Christmas once more"
profound poem, Regis. Insightful and so much truth
Reviewed by Andy Turner (Reader)
Reviewed on December 27, 2003
Stunning
Reviewed by michael horetsky (Reader)
Reviewed on December 27, 2003
Regis...Well done Sir...Most humans i am sure feel this...The meaning blurred by the dollar...It is what is inside us all that makes or breaks us...Keep the faith their is a world of humans few to be told but they are around..Must look harder now though as the dollar seems to be the animals bottom line... I hope you have a great holiday season and wish you and yours all the best...
I can relate to this, Regis...the emotions evoked in this work mirror my own.
Excellent job here.
Reviewed by jan nunn (Reader)
Reviewed on December 26, 2003
I agree with you here Regis..I lost christmas this year,for the first time,but I found bits of it within friends and family and the quiet time of meditating and reading.all is not lost :)
Reviewed by June Thompson (Reader)
Reviewed on December 25, 2003
much admired
the view from here as some has said
so much is lost today in all the commercialism holidays bring
Regis this is exactly what is occurring
in our soiety and it's been an ongoing madness
for some years now.
my meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ
I guess I'm still a kid. I haven't heard but two Christmas carols on the tube. Seems they aren't playing them this year. I still look forward to Christmas Mass where I can share my love with my Saviour and my fellow attendees. Christmas is about love for God and each other with a giving heart. May all find peace in their hearts and share your love with someone even a complete stranger. Merry Christmas
I can relate. Christmas is fully lost and a source of great pain to me. Chores and work will keep me busy and should mostly keep my mind off it.
I love the image that a power failure could bring it back. Christmas could exist for me...but it is drowned out.
John
Reviewed by Ted Sheridan (Reader)
Reviewed on December 23, 2003
My friend, I once lost Christmas too, and it was the best damn thing that ever happened to me, my spirit became alive once more, I was cheerful and full of joy. I was filled with a sense of peace, it was then that I realized I had found the true meaning of Christmas (by the way the Vodka helped tremendously).
I was just having a conversation with a man at work about two hours ago about how I feel this exact same way. I just wish I could see Christmas through a child's eyes again. Christmas meant so much to me back then. Even though I have small children, it seems that the world has changed so much that it's even taking the joy out of Christmas. Thanks for this poem. At least I know I'm not alone. I hope that next year is better for us. Better yet, hopefully these next two days will be merrier than expected!
Regis, I wrote an article on the same theme;-)I agree with you!
I always admire anyone who can write in two languages. This is very well done!
Reviewed by Ron (sketchman) Axelson (Reader)
Reviewed on December 23, 2003
I lost Chirstmas too. I wonder how many people really know what Christmas is for? It's turned into a pagan (Not acknowledging the God of Christianity) holiday for sure..
Thanks for sharing, and I know you knew what pagan meant, but many don't.
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Religion aside, as we grow older, how can we renew the magic of the season? It's not an unhappy time, just the same old, same old. We've gone as far as not eating a traditional meal any more. We cook new recipes from all over the world. You've given us a lot of food for thought. Well done, cheers! Liz
I can't help but relate to this piece. Christmas hasn't been a happy time for me in years. Thank you for sharing this. Hugs:) Sheila
This was a great piece of work.
God Bless,
Lew
We see and hear the commercial "bling-bling" of Christmastime, but that is not what is in our hearts. Do fireworks really represent our 4th of July? Does a box of candy represent our love? Do colored eggs represent The Resurrection? The truths of each of these holidays is so much more than the 'trimmings', if we only remember...
Glad you pointed to this 2004 poem...
Micke
Deborah :o))
Gina
I shall find Christmas once more"
profound poem, Regis. Insightful and so much truth
Excellent job here.
the view from here as some has said
so much is lost today in all the commercialism holidays bring
thanks for sharing
Best regards,
Leland
. 3 Years Old Awaken To See My Mother Take Presents Out Of Closet Never Believed In Sant Claus Either!
TRASK
in our soiety and it's been an ongoing madness
for some years now.
my meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ
Merry Christmas To all At The Den
William
The true meaning of Christmas are overwhelmed by commercials and stuff!!
But Merry Christmas anyways....have a bright day okay!!
Warm love Tinka
I love the image that a power failure could bring it back. Christmas could exist for me...but it is drowned out.
John
I always admire anyone who can write in two languages. This is very well done!
Thanks for sharing, and I know you knew what pagan meant, but many don't.