A scene from Dickens A Christmas Carol. Illustration by John Leech. ‘A Wretch Like Me’ by Joe Tessitore The Society December 25, 2020 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 18 Comments . To miss the mark, to lose my way,to choose the dark, on Christmas Day. No star I see, no Virgin Birth.No joy for me, no peace on earth. But for a wretch like me He came,to fetch me from my sin and shame. So by His manger, now I stand.My finger in His tiny hand. . . Joe Tessitore is a retired New York City resident and poet. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Trending now: 18 Responses Peter Hartley December 25, 2020 A very pleasing little jingle for Christmas Day and, while quite reverent, short enough not to interfere too seriously with the consumption of mince pies. Reply C.B. Anderson December 25, 2020 I like mince pie, Peter. Are the ones YOU eat made with real venison? Reply LILIA I MISHEVA December 25, 2020 THE JERICHO CHANT Brothers and Sisters, all Americans! We need Peace! Chant the Jericho chant!(3) Is it possible to prevent the Second Civil War in America? Yes, with God’s help everything is possible!(3) Should we wait for the Second Coming of Christ? No, it could be to late!(3) Could we do, anything in our strength, as Christians? Yes, we could! Yes, we would!(3) The evildoers are scared by the inescapable indictments! They look for divine intervention! (3) Let’s have a civil conversation and a true reconsaliation! Let’s give them a second chance!(3) Pardon and forgive them entirely! Convert and Baptise them, as Jesus would do for eternity!(3) God himself promiced to sanctify us wholly through his Spirit, in Christ to attain true Peace! 1 Thessal.5:23 (3) Peace is possible! Say, “No, on the red dragon hegemony!” Say, “Yes, on Christ and on Democracy!” (3) We are not going to kill each other for the betterment of the evil devil! We are going to be blessed by God! (3) No, on the pandemic and death! Yes, on the eternal life and love! Let it be Peace on Earth, Amen and Alleluia!(3) Brothers and sisters, all Americans, we need Peace! Chant the Jericho chant!(3) Reply Gail Root December 25, 2020 Succinct, evocative and complete. Well done! Reply James A. Tweedie December 25, 2020 Joe, the path you describe is the one we must all take to arrive at the manger—the cross—and the empty tomb. Your verse is beautiful and its closing image is one that will linger in my heart. Reply Leo Zoutewelle December 25, 2020 To me, breathtaking, Joe! Thank you. Reply Damian Robin December 25, 2020 Precise and vigorous, with binding inner rhyme, at the beginning, loosening to softness at its end. An inevitable, concise journey to a tender destination. Lovely. Reply David Paul Behrens December 25, 2020 Beautiful, Joe. Merry Christmas! Reply Joe Tessitore December 25, 2020 Thank you all very much. Merry Christmas! Reply Andrea Lois Becker December 25, 2020 Shows your sincere faith beautifully, Joe. Lovely poem~ Reply C.B. Anderson December 25, 2020 A very nice poem ,Joe. Jaunty but concise; jocund but deadly serious. One of the cleanest, pared-to-the-bone poems I have read in a long time Reply Cynthia Fleming December 25, 2020 Absolutely pierced me to my core! Reply Margaret Coats December 26, 2020 I echo Damian Robin’s comment above! This poem sent me to my collections of Christmas verse to see if there is anything else so short, and so perfect. “A Wretch Like Me” is in a class by itself. Reply Joe Tessitore December 26, 2020 Again, thank you all very much. These are wonderful comments and they touch me deeply. Reply David Watt December 27, 2020 Joe, this is a a lovely Christmas verse which proves that a minimum of words may have maximum impact. I wish you all the best for the Christmas season. Reply Mike Bryant January 2, 2021 There is so much embedded in four short couplets. Each contains another couplet- the first, light and darkness, the second and third, joy and peace and sin and shame, and the last, the choice made. Really beautiful and beautifully wrought. Reply Paul A. Freeman January 11, 2021 Not sure how I missed this one. Marvelous. Reply Gregory Ross January 23, 2021 I love the simplicity of this poem. I had not seen it until now. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Peter Hartley December 25, 2020 A very pleasing little jingle for Christmas Day and, while quite reverent, short enough not to interfere too seriously with the consumption of mince pies. Reply
C.B. Anderson December 25, 2020 I like mince pie, Peter. Are the ones YOU eat made with real venison? Reply
LILIA I MISHEVA December 25, 2020 THE JERICHO CHANT Brothers and Sisters, all Americans! We need Peace! Chant the Jericho chant!(3) Is it possible to prevent the Second Civil War in America? Yes, with God’s help everything is possible!(3) Should we wait for the Second Coming of Christ? No, it could be to late!(3) Could we do, anything in our strength, as Christians? Yes, we could! Yes, we would!(3) The evildoers are scared by the inescapable indictments! They look for divine intervention! (3) Let’s have a civil conversation and a true reconsaliation! Let’s give them a second chance!(3) Pardon and forgive them entirely! Convert and Baptise them, as Jesus would do for eternity!(3) God himself promiced to sanctify us wholly through his Spirit, in Christ to attain true Peace! 1 Thessal.5:23 (3) Peace is possible! Say, “No, on the red dragon hegemony!” Say, “Yes, on Christ and on Democracy!” (3) We are not going to kill each other for the betterment of the evil devil! We are going to be blessed by God! (3) No, on the pandemic and death! Yes, on the eternal life and love! Let it be Peace on Earth, Amen and Alleluia!(3) Brothers and sisters, all Americans, we need Peace! Chant the Jericho chant!(3) Reply
James A. Tweedie December 25, 2020 Joe, the path you describe is the one we must all take to arrive at the manger—the cross—and the empty tomb. Your verse is beautiful and its closing image is one that will linger in my heart. Reply
Damian Robin December 25, 2020 Precise and vigorous, with binding inner rhyme, at the beginning, loosening to softness at its end. An inevitable, concise journey to a tender destination. Lovely. Reply
C.B. Anderson December 25, 2020 A very nice poem ,Joe. Jaunty but concise; jocund but deadly serious. One of the cleanest, pared-to-the-bone poems I have read in a long time Reply
Margaret Coats December 26, 2020 I echo Damian Robin’s comment above! This poem sent me to my collections of Christmas verse to see if there is anything else so short, and so perfect. “A Wretch Like Me” is in a class by itself. Reply
Joe Tessitore December 26, 2020 Again, thank you all very much. These are wonderful comments and they touch me deeply. Reply
David Watt December 27, 2020 Joe, this is a a lovely Christmas verse which proves that a minimum of words may have maximum impact. I wish you all the best for the Christmas season. Reply
Mike Bryant January 2, 2021 There is so much embedded in four short couplets. Each contains another couplet- the first, light and darkness, the second and third, joy and peace and sin and shame, and the last, the choice made. Really beautiful and beautifully wrought. Reply