What's So Funny?
Russell Gayer, author speaker
Christmas Tree Me
For today’s post I used the photo prompt, provided by Madison Woods and a Christmas poem I wrote several years ago. Be sure and visit her blog http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/ each Friday to enjoy her 100 word #Flash Friday story. Read the comments and follow the links to other stories ranging from excellent to sublime.
It wasn’t much to look at, kinda scraggly for a tree.
One side with a gaping hole and a flat spot on the other.
Mama just shook her head when she saw the fresh cut cedar,
but helped me stand it in a bucket filled with rocks and water
I cut a star from scrap cardboard and wrapped it in aluminum foil.
Then sewed a popcorn garland ten feet long, that wouldn’t go twice around.
From a box of ancient ornaments, I found a few that weren’t broken,
and a tangled strand of colored lights, some of which actually worked.
I dressed the tree the best I could, turning the flat side to the wall
and showered it with icicles while humming Christmas carols.
When at last I plugged it in the tree just seemed to glow,
as if magically transformed—no longer rough and flawed.
Sometimes I feel like that tree, full of holes and bent by sin
But God is still willing to choose me and take me home with Him
He’ll hang grace from every bough, add a star to hang above,
And when at last He plugs me in I’ll glow of the Savior’s love.
9 Comments on “Christmas Tree Me”
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What's So Funny? 
Though not a Christian, I still believe in the Christmas message…love to all people. I liked your poem, and it conveys this message eloquently. Bravo.
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Dear Russell,You pretty much glow right now, in case you were wondering. I loved this line as it describes us all most all of the time; "Sometimes I feel like that tree, full of holes and bent by sin…"You found what you were looking for with this effort, Russell. Good job.Aloha,Doug
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Loved the whole story, but especially how the poetry really flowed in your last paragraph, Russell. Very nice job and so true in your metaphor.
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Sweet story, Russell. I like that we're all a little rough around the edges and maybe have a flat spot here and there, but still hold value. Well done. 🙂
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It is a truth, that once the tree gets home and decorated, its flaws disappear. You reminded me, well done, Robin
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good one, Russell!
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The last stanza works really well. It personalizes the "I" in such a way that I came away from the reading seeing myself.
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Russell, this is beautiful. How can you be so funny and so poignant at the same time?
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I used to write a Christmas poem every year for our card (prior to the Redneck theme). Back in those days I wrote a lot of sentimental stuff. One person even said my poetry was "deep." How embarassing! It's much more fun to make people laugh.
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