Add this one to the poetry collection ON THE MYSTERY OF THE INCARNATION" BY DENISE LEVERTOV It’s when we face for a moment the worst our kind can do, and shudder to know the taint in our own selves, that awe cracks the mind’s shell and enters the heart: not to a flower, not to a dolphin, to no innocent form but to this creature vainly sure it and no other is god-like, God (out of compassion for our ugly failure to evolve) entrusts, as guest, as brother, the Word. Denise Levertov December 21, 2021 Jim Wiegel “…the long work of turning their lives into a celebration is not easy. Come and let us talk“. The Sunflowers. Mary Oliver

On Dec 24, 2023, at 11:45 AM, jstanfieldica <jstanfieldica@gmail.com> wrote:  Thank you John. A very powerful Christmas poem.

Merry Christmas.

Jeanette Stanfield

Sent from my Bell Samsung device over Canada's largest network.

-------- Original message -------- From: Lynda C via OE <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net> Date: 2023-12-24 12:19 p.m. (GMT-05:00) To: "OE List (OE@lists.wedgeblade.net)" <OE@lists.wedgeblade.net>, "Jim and Judy Wiegel (jfwiegel@yahoo.com)" <jfwiegel@yahoo.com>, Gene Marshall <gwesleymarshall@gmail.com> Cc: Lynda C <lynda860@outlook.com>, "John II Cock (jpcock2@gmail.com)" <jpcock2@gmail.com> Subject: [Oe List ...] FW: Santa poem, Gene Marshall?

From: John Cock <jpc2025@triad.rr.com> Date: Saturday, December 4, 2004 at 12:12 PM To: llc860@triad.rr.com <llc860@triad.rr.com> Subject: FW: Santa poem, Gene Marshall?

-----Original Message----- From: Lynda Cock [mailto:llc860@triad.rr.com] Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2000 11:38 AM To: Cock, John I Subject: FW: Santa poem, Gene Marshall? Importance: High

SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN

YOU BETTER WATCH OUT YOU BETTER NOT CRY YOU BETTER NOT POUT I'M TELLING YOU WHY SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN

HE'S MAKING A LIST AND CHECKING IT TWICE HE'S GOING TO FIND OUT WHO'S NAUGHTY OR NICE SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN

IT IS SAID OF OLD, THAT THE BAD BOYS AND GIRLS GOT NO GIFTS FOR CHRISTMAS-- ONLY A SWITCH TO LASH THEM WITH. BUT SO FAR AS ANYONE KNOWS, NO SWITCHES HAVE EVER BEEN LEFT AT CHRISTMAS. SANTA CLAUS TAKES GOOD GIFTS TO EVERY HOUSE, TO EVERY PERSON IN THE WHOLE WORLD.

THIS IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION. THIS IS THE WAY THE STORY READS. EVERY PERSON, EVERY HOUSE. IF A CHILD RECEIVES NO GIFT FROM SANTA CLAUS, THAT IS A DEVASTATING BLOW. NO MATTER HOW MANY GIFTS ARE RECEIVED FROM MOM, DAD, BROTHER, SISTER, THOSE GIFTS CANNOT REPLACE THE GIFT NOT RECEIVED FROM THE ONE WHO TAKES GIFTS TO ALL. YOU SEE IN THIS STORY, ALL GIRLS ARE GOOD GIRLS--FOR ALL RECEIVE GIFTS. AND ALL BOYS ARE GOOD BOYS--FOR ALL RECEIVE GIFTS.

NOW I ASK YOU: IS THIS A TRUE STORY? HAVE YOU EVER MET THAT WHICH GIVES GOOD GIFTS TO ALL? INTO EVERY HOUSE? BY ANY CRITERIA YOU AND I HAVE CREATED, WE ALL DESERVE SWITCHES. YET, IN SPITE OF HOW WE SEE OURSELVES, THERE IS THAT EXPERIENCE IN OUR LIVES OF THE ONE WHO BRINGS GOOD GIFTS TO ALL.

ST. NICK, SANTA CLAUS, OR WHATEVER OTHER NAME IS USED, THEY ALL DEPEND UPON OUR COMMON LIFE EXPERIENCES OF THE ONE WHO BRINGS GOOD GIFTS TO ALL, TO EVERY HOUSE. THE STORY DOES NOT SAY HOW THIS IS DONE OR WHY. IT SIMPLY SAYS THAT IT IS DONE.

"YOU BETTER WATCH OUT. . . I'M TELLING YOU WHY! SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN.!"