HOLIDAY HAIKU

HOLIDAY HAIKU
From Hallelujah! to Ho! Ho! Ho!

By JOSEPH B. CONNOLLY
Special to the Saipan Tribune

The following are attempts to relate the story of Christmas and some traditional Christmas holiday events from a sacred as well as secular perspective. With recent attempts to secularize Christmas greetings and political correctness in mind, here are two sets of short poems that accommodate each viewpoint respectively. It should be noted that despite the secularization of Kris Kringle/Saint Nicholas, aka “Santa Claus”, old Father Christmas was supposedly a wealthy man practicing basic Christmas charity by placing coins in the stockings of the needy. Here then are 25 succinct senryu for the 25th of December. They may also serve as twelve each for the Twelve Days of Christmas.

HAIKU HALLELUJAH – A SACRED CHRISTMAS

donkeys bring them home
mighty Rome takes census now
Madonna with child

cold Nazareth night
Magi follow yonder star
Shining round the world

born in Bethlehem
no room at the local inn
a stable for birth

a love for mankind
is the greatest gift of all
Christ is born today

early in the morn
sheep, goats and dromedaries
gaze at the newborn babe

three in peace today
Jesus, Mary and Joseph
a holy family

angels sing above
they play on their harps all day
sing Hallelujah

shepherds tend their flocks
wise men welcome a new king
in a barnyard

three kings pay homage
with gold, frankincense and myrrh
humbled by the Child

hear the angels sing
glory to the newborn king
Peace on Earth To All

midnight in a church
chorus signs “Hallelujah”
and then, “Silent Night”

love is all around
Merry Christmas everyone
Christmas Day is here

HAIKU HO! HO! HO! – A SECULAR X’MAS

green tree trimmed in red
Colorado blue spruce smell
Fresh cut Christmas tree

strung with popcorn strings
twinkling lights on a big tree
hanging candy canes

chimney cleaned today
Santa Claus will come tonight
noise up on the roof

some treats for St. Nick
milk and a plate of cookies
hope he eats them all

sugar cookies gone
deer pay prints
in the snow on the lawn

mistletoe above
Dad underneath near the door
a kiss for Santa

still dark outside
everyone is waking up
no Grinch around here

Santa’s helpers work
Baking goodies all day long
Iced gingerbread boy

warm hats and mittens
making angels in the snow
sledding down the hill

Mike got a sweater
Mary got a pair of gloves
Mom got some candy

on Santa’s lap
his breath smells like whiskey
he reads his long list

Charles Dickens’
“A Christmas Carol” on TV
Merry Christmas All

CONTEMPORARY CHRISTMAS CODA

in newspapers, on news shows
people and preachers pray for
peace in the Middle East