I published this poem here on Christmas Day last year, and I think it is worth repeating. The poem tells the true story of an Advent Dinner at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor with granddaughter Natalie. Natalie was 5 or 6 when this happened; she is nearly 13 now. Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays!

JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN
(or, Green Frosting and Sprinkles)
 
You were five or six when I took you 
to the Advent Dinner at church 
and had not yet absorbed 
Christ's lessons of sacrifice, 
of placing a neighbor's needs 
above your own 
 
so when I admonished you 
to stop eating Christmas cookies 
before the meal was served – 
cookies placed equally at each table 
by church ladies who adored you - 
you agreed before taking a bite 
from every cookie with green frosting 
and peppermint sprinkles. 

Returned to the communal plate, 
they rested among lesser companions, 
your dental imprint now in stark relief. 
"What are you doing?" I asked in horror. 
"Those are my favorites," you explained, 
"and I want to make sure no one else eats them."

Subscribe to be notified of new posts by email; it’s free. *
Leave a comment so I know you were here,
and please share this blog with a friend.

*Email may be delivered to a spam or social media folder.

Joseph Neely, all rights reserved