Christmas Eve 1968

17th Dec 2018

One Christmas long ago when we sisters walked to Midnight Mass.
We were happy to be out in the snow, in the dark.
Every year we would pray that it would snow for Christmas . It very rarely did.
So this was special and It felt quite magical.


Christmas Eve - 1968

Three sisters – 

exhilarated, excited, eager,

giggling, gabbling, gibbering,  

clad in cozy, coats,
warm,  winter, woolly  hats 

, 

 furry,  frost - free mittens  

and  wellies, in khaki  green-

step out from over-heated   house

Three sisters –

 leave behind,

 and don’t mind,

the atmosphere,

they leave it there

They are out, in the

 cold, crisp night.

 Christmas Eve.

 Snow stars sparkle 

underfoot

 crystals, luminescent in rays of moon.

Soft flakes flutter down,

 like dancing angels

 melt, on upturned faces.

They trudge on slowly,

Perfect white beneath, 

crunching, crackling

leaving foot-shaped indents

heads held high ,

 they are free,

 for now.

In the distance -

 lights of the church,

 draw them onward

the singing of carols 

brings some joy 

to sisters,  sad,  souls

they forget, 

for a while 

what’s left at home, 

at that house.

they find their seats.

they are here for

 Midnight Mass