Season’s Grumblings
With each passing year, diminishing cheer:
I feel less festive at Christmastime.
Perhaps it’s the sprawl of malls,
gaudy displays of “Holiday Cheer,”
a politically correct wink,
as though I’m supposed to know they
really mean “Merry Christmas,” but
corporate beliefs leave them no choice.
No voices ringing with carols, but a veritable
barrel of secular songs: Motown, Nashville, or worse still,
Burl Ives (that rumpled fool who sang like a choir boy
during the Red Scare) offering “Yuletide cheer.”
Or Maurice “I’m an entertainer, even when the audience
is all Nazis” Chevalier pretending he’s fun and nice.
Santa’s real elves are exploited Chinese child labor.
Neighbor, don’t listen to me. I’ve little glee.
© 2011 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
Three Word Wednesday challenged us with Belief, Festive, and Rumple. Ha! I took up the challenge and delivered this exquisite poetic case of heartburn. What a Grinch! For those who are believers, have yourselves a Merry Christmas, and remember whose birthday it is, teach your children. And if you’re a secular Christmas person, hey, pay no neve-rmind to me, except for the part about the Chinese kids. Peace, Amy
Sharp Little Pencil 
seingraham
This is great – I don’t know which I love more, the poem or the tags! Brilliant …
Sharp Little Pencil
Yeah, I have this tag addiction. Really, tags and chocolate are all I have left, ha ha ha.
Sure, we’re all supposed to be “holly jolly,” but my inner Grinch took over… Peace, Amy
LadyInRead
nicely done.. i do agree about too much commercialism overtaking the spirit of giving and joy.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, o Lady In Red (Manhattan Melodrama was the movie Dillinger took her to when she sold him out, and good for her!). We get so many blatantly commercial messages during a season when we should look inward… Now off to see your blog! Peace, Amy
Debbie
Merry Christmas Amy! You are no grinch . . .:)
Sharp Little Pencil
Aw, thanks, Debbie. Merry Christmas to you, too. We’re some of the only folks who don’t understand the concept that Christmas proper doesn’t begin until Christmas Day and ends with Epiphany!! Love, Amy
Altonian
Knock, knock…….’Who’s there?’
‘Amy.’
‘What’s she doing?’
‘Knocking.’
‘What’s she knocking?’
‘It’s almost a case of – you name it!’
‘How do you feel about that?’
‘With her all the way, old boy!’
Sharp Little Pencil
Good Lord, Leigh, I am a crotchety old girl. But then, vinegar is an excellent preservative, so I may live to be a 90-year-old activist. Can’t you just see me, in my support hose and orthopaedic shoes, picketing the Capitol?!!
Great joke. I’ll tell my husband now! Happy New Year to you and yours, Leigh. Peace, Amy
Old Raven
Tis’ true my dear … but there is still room for cheer … in a dark little corner of the heart where we let it in and that small light turns away the corporate giant as it burns brighter. Merry Christmas to you, my friend!
Sharp Little Pencil
Raven, I really was a grump with this one… but we all write from moods of all sorts, and not all of them are as hopeful as we might wish! Thanks, and happy new year, Amy
Sheilagh Lee
Merry Christmas Amy.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, hon. My Christmas turned out to be much less Grinchy than this poem; in fact, it may have been the best ever! Peace, Amy
Lindy Lee
The whole world would do better to practice peace, love and understanding year round. A trip to the mall appalls, brings up the gall and keeps one away from the mall at all…
Sharp Little Pencil
Good one, Lindy! It’s all a brawl, a free-for-all, and advertised for half the Fall… peace! Amy
Anna Gramme (@hypercryptical)
Christmas has lost its joy Amy – perhaps aging has something to do with it but I doubt it. Very little magic and lots of greed.
I love Christmas although a non-believer in Him upstairs – although as said – the magic has gone. Where are all the carol-singers?
Have a wonderful holiday whatever your beliefs.
Peace.
Anna :o]
Sharp Little Pencil
Anna, love your twitter handle! I am Christian, but I’m historically well-versed enough to know that Jesus was not even born in December. Early church leaders used that date to take attention away from the traditional Winter Solstice celebrations.
American Christmas is the worst. The malls, the way people treat churches like a once-a-year tourist attraction (although they are always welcome, it would be nice to think they really wanted to DO something with their teetering faith, and that does require a little effort).
Secular Christmas is fun in measure. “Keeping Christmas,” that’s how I like it. Whether you are Christian, agnostic, atheist, or from another spiritual path, it’s fun to decorate a tree and exchange small gifts… but to give to charity, that’s how we celebrate it. Sure, we put up stockings with fruit and maybe a chocolate bar, but the real giving goes to those in need, at least in our house. Also, my daughter is culturally Jewish (her dad is semi-observant, only holidays), so we put up a menorah as well and sing the song on the candle box!! Thanks for stopping, and happy new year! Amy
wordsfallfrommyeyes
There’s so many challenges going on WordPress it’s amazing – it really keeps it interesting. Like this grumble. You’re definitely a poet – you know, your words. Great stuff!
Sharp Little Pencil
Glad you saw through the snarkiness. I really do love Christmas… it’s the corporations I hate. This is really a rant on the rich much more than a rant on the season itself! Peace, Amy
Mary A Writes
I am a Merry Christmas type of person Amy, so have a Merry Christmas.
Sharp Little Pencil
God bless you, Mary, and I hope I didn’t put a damper on your Christmas cheer. I was railing more at greed than at the season… which itself has been coopted by corporations, rather than the small, family-centered celebration intended… Merry Christmas, hon. Peace on earth, Amy
Richard Cody
Ah, you and me both, sister…
Sharp Little Pencil
I had a feeling…! Peace, Amy
Berowne
A gloriouwly rumpled sentiment for this festive season, is my belief. 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
Berowne, I’m really not that much of a Grinch… it’s more railing about the commercialism, I guess. Disheartening that folks treat Christmas as an orgy of overspending, then contemplate suicide when they get the credit card bills and are filled with midwinter disappointment… Thanks, and peace, Amy
Zouxzoux
Your words are sad but true and I see we’re thinking along similar lines this holiday season. May you and yours be warm, fed and safe this season and may all those who are homeless find a home in the coming year.
Sharp Little Pencil
Amen, Zouxzoux, to every single word. Warmth for the chilled, water for the thirsty, food for the hungry, a willing shoulder for the grieving… all things in the spirit of the man whose birthday we celebrate (even though he wasn’t born in December, but I digress!).
Peace, Amy
kaykuala
Amy,
You have bravely put into words glaringly what others lament all these while. Yes, it is Christmas cheer but a lot to do with pushing for the dough. Each vying to outdo the others to get at what little we still have. You didn’t mince your words and that is fantastic. Sock it to them Ma’am for the deed of the day!
Hank
Sharp Little Pencil
Hank, I was feeling as though I bummed folks out with this one. I know there are many who keep Christmas in what has become the traditional American way, but my thoughts always stray to the man whose birthday we are supposed to be celebrating… even though he wasn’t born in December, ha ha ha.
We are like-minded on this, and that pleases me. Thanks, and peace, Amy
wayne
another good one…thanks for sharing your words
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Wayne, and Happy New Year! Amy
booguloo
Merry Christmas! Let’s all pray for a better New Year.
Sharp Little Pencil
Amen to that, Michael! Thanks for visiting, and sorry my response comes so late… moving day approaches. Amy
Vivek
This is quite impressive. The cynicism you have expressed about faux and manufactured cheeriness is exactly how I feel during festive season, be it Diwali here in India or Xmas around the world.
Sharp Little Pencil
Vivek, how sad about that… I thought it was primarily American, and particularly a post-WWII phenomenon, when families wanted to feel safe by surrounding themselves with stuff. And today is no different… everyone is unsure what tomorrow may bring – but, by God, we’ve got our 72-inch plasma screen TV to distract us! Thanks for visiting – and sorry about lateness of reply. As I’ve mentioned to others, we are mid-move. Peace, Amy
tacit acceptance
Thanks for the visit yesterday. Always glad to meet other poets. Dug your take on the humbug of the season. Look forward to seeing more of your writing. Take care,
TA
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Tacit, for reciprocating the visit! Yes, this blog phenomenon has helped me expand my world in ways I could never have imagined even five years ago. Sorry this reply is late – mid-move; may suspend posting for a bit. Peace, Amy
brian miller
sad but true…christmas loses a bit more glimmer each year…my boys keep it fresh for me but…ugh…cant even try to compete with the santa that visits their friends but i can love em a bunch…merry christmas! smiles.
Sharp Little Pencil
Brian, I was a single mom for years. EVERYONE had more than we did (moved to a small apartment in a good school district). My trick was to space out the presents… open one, have some breakfast, open another, call someone… and never too many presents. I told Riley that some kids had more stuff, but look how crowded their rooms were with things they didn’t use. She was very loyal to the few toys she had, and she’s carried on the tradition of traveling light into adulthood. No matter what kids at school say, your boys will remember what YOU said, long after. Love triumphant. Peace, Amy
Renee Espriu
Always a pleasure to read no matter what has prompted you to write. Sometimes it can be all a bit too much and paring it down to basics a challenge but it can be done. Well written, my dear Amy.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thank you, Renee, and sorry for late response. Mid-move… ai, ai, ai!
We are all about simplifying our lives, ever giving things away. The less clutter around one’s house, the less clutter in one’s mind, I suppose! Peace, Amy
brian miller
just spinning back through to see if you had written anything new…hope you are having a wonderful holiday
Sharp Little Pencil
Brian, sent you an email to explain… sorry, I’ve been behind schedule due to pastoral Christmas duties and upcoming mid-Jan move. Bear with me! Peace, Amy
Lafemmeroar
Although not cheery I love this poem …. hmmm….. 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
Glad you weren’t looking for cheer, or I would have felt verrrrry guilty, LOL. I had a much better Christmas than I thought, perhaps because I got the griping out of the way early!! Love, Amy the CC
John Greenwood
It’s okay young friend, but don’t let one day dictate the next. Next year try door number three, you may feel differently. Grab a fresh pencil. Write your ship (?) Peace to you. Thank you for your visit.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, John! And as it turned out, Christmas was great. Got my grinchiness out of the way just in time! Happy New Year! Amy
Brett Mattison
This poem reminds me of how much I can be a Scrooge at Christmas time. However, at least this year I spent time with my family, which helped reduce that high level of Scrooge this time around. Good stuff as always, Amy!
Sharp Little Pencil
Brett, thanks. Funny, after writing this, I was purged of displeasure and had a wonderful Christmas. Happy New Year, hope to see you at Avol and possibly the Tribe, too, this month! Amy
wayne
and to answer your question….about the “cross dresser” I don’t know the answer…not sure if the guy in the poem knows either…..take care and happy NY
Sharp Little Pencil
It was different in those days. Perhaps Frances was indeed a transgender person before her time… thanks, Wayne. Peace, Amy