Fighting for Christmas Faith

Christmas has come around again this year

But I must confess I feel no cheer

Rather it feels like Annus Horribilis

In other words, a horrible year

The world I knew has departed

Everything seems to have changed

Peace now feels on the brink of danger

And really, the world just got strange

So no tree decorates our home

The lights on the street are cold and empty

It all seems so superficial

Is this Christmas really?

I look up to the stars for an answer

Seeking the one from 2000 years ago

The one that guided to a poor manger

That winter night so cold

And it shone in my mind so bright

Such a contrast to the dark of night

And led me down a quiet walk

Where with a shepherd I could talk

But he never spoke a word

Only raised his arm and I knew

That soldiers descended to Bethlehem

To a thousand children slew

It was the first Christmas night

Forgot I truly had

That hope was born in a world so dark

And in a night so black

Yet how it shone, how it shone

The skies opened and the angels sang

There was a celebration in that little manger

Despite the world so dark and dank

Our hope is a hope for the ages

And Christmas’ joy from hereafter comes

So this Christmas will be graced with a feast nevertheless

And I’ll open the door to whoever and still say ‘Welcome’

Immanuel, God is with us

Still

Merry Christmas

Copyright © 2016 by Kwek Yi Zhen

Originally from: http://poemsforocassions.blogspot.com/2016/12/fighting-for-christmas-faith.html

The Two Roses

I held two roses in my hand

Both red and in full bloom

Both smelled as sweet as the morning

As soft as silk from heaven’s loom

Both spoke of hopes and dreams

Of wonders and possibilities

Yet when I held them up to the sun

Some differences I could see

For one had petals bent one way

And the other did not

One had green leaves a plenty

The other didn’t have a lot

The red for one seemed bolder

The other slightly pale

As a messenger of life and dreams

Perform better it seemed one will

Yet as I held both to my chest

Could I consider the other deficient?

For God made each rose bloom

And he made each one different

Copyright © 2016 by Kwek Yi Zhen

Originally from: http://poemsforocassions.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-two-roses.html

A Christmas Hope

Christmas time this year

Comes at the tail of a rather sad year

Many terrible things have happened

And too many of us have lost those we held dear

We have seen bloodshed and violence

Caused by acts of cowardice

We have felt the earth shake

And rocks crumble and break

Waters swelled, the air turned poison

Yet despite all, to carols we still listen

In one more leap of faith

Come this time we still celebrate

Yes we still celebrate

To honour those who could not

Celebrate to show triumph

That hope we’ve still got

For the hope that Christmas brings

Came two thousand years ago

And against such miraculous hope

Modern horrors have no hold

So we will light our streets

And we will deck our halls

We will come in spite of fear

When the church bell calls

And come Christmas Day

Despite the horrors that have come to past

We will grow that hope’s eternal flame

Against which fear’s darkness cannot last

In memory to all who have left us, and a blessed Christmas to those who remain

Immanuel, God is with us

Copyright © 2015 by Kwek Yi Zhen

Originally from: http://poemsforocassions.blogspot.com/2015/12/a-christmas-hope.html