Snippet - Sweet Christmas Present

On Christmases past, our children used to run into our room to tell us it was time to get up. Wide-eyed and excited, they couldn’t wait for the promises of Christmas Day. They are no longer with us, but scattered in faraway places. Each of them lives in a different state, just as each of them was born in a different state. This Christmas I was nostalgic for the old days and lamented that I’d get to sleep in. One of my children took notes. She set her alarm to wake me up at six. A sweet Christmas present, indeed.

Old World

We’re from the Old World

Where order prevails

Absolutes are a must

Blacks and whites are clear

Grey doesn’t exist

To confuse our intellect

One must not stray away

From rules of conduct

It is logical to expect

Love to be conditional

I balance my feet on each world

The Old and the New

Listening to the heart and the mind

My heart feels

My head twirls

I’ve known your compassion

I’ve seen your good work

Yet I feel oppression

The Old World imposes

Has the world turned up-side-down

Your up is my down

I cry for progress lost

You seek to reorder

My heart sways

My head hurts

Do I let go of the love

Or work up the anger

Do I set up boundaries

In the grey area

Which constantly changes

Its shape and size and color

I yield to the familiar

When I hear your call

I push away the doubts

And love you all the same

I thought I’ve left the Old World

For the New

But my feet are still

Perching on your world

And mine