What shall I recall about Christmas Day?
What feelings remain, what shall I say
when someone asks “Was it jolly and fun?”
Shall I tell the truth to everyone
or simply say: “Oh, yes, indeed!
My family and friends, we all agreed
that this is the way it should be.”
We should each cook enough for one or two,
polish all the silver, set out the new
holiday dishes, special glasses, too,
pick Christmas carols, one or two will do.
Type in the numbers to activate Zoom,
find a comfortable place in the empty room
and wave at Susie and Tom.
Beautiful faces fill the screen.
But, who is that woman? I’ve never seen
those purple pajamas and her long, blonde hair?
She looks bewildered, see how she stares
like she’s entered a room filled with alien life.
Do you think that’s Bobby’s second wife?
Or, maybe she got the wrong code.
Whatever the case, she’s welcome here.
We’ll laugh at old jokes, perhaps shed a tear.
“Raise your hand to speak. Un-mute, Uncle Ken.”
Technology’s great, but it’s no friend
to those of us who would much rather spend
the day together, and not pretend
that figgy pudding for one is fine.
Let’s all take a moment as we Zoom today
and pray that next Christmas we’ll have a way
to hug and laugh face to face,
that joy will fill this empty space
in my house and my heart, that touch will restore
the wonder of Christmas evermore.
Til then, raise your hand to speak.
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