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The People That Walked in Darkness

The Christmas lights are out tonight,
__Early and fierce and brave.
The lawns of all suburbia,
__A parti-colored nave.

Their swollen ranks caused me to think
__How changed the world should be
If they could crowd the ballot-box
__And vote rather than we!

We might have godly governors:
__Seated and clothed and sane;
And Herod cast from Washington,
__And Christendom again.

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Paul Erlandson resides in Royal Oak Michigan, and has recently retired from an automotive engineering career with Ford Motor Company.  He has had poetry published in “Dome” (a publication of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London) and “The Slumbering Host”, a volume of poetry collected by Clinton Collister and Daniel Rattelle.

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17 Responses

  1. Margaret Coats

    “A parti-colored nave” is delightful. If the swollen ranks of Christmas light bulbs were actual graces to which we actually correspond, your prophecy could be true. Keep shining, Paul!

    Reply
  2. Tamara Beryl Latham

    What a beautifully penned rhyming poem that rings so true, regarding the politics of today. Your words cast light on the darkness surrounding us. Oh, when will it end? 🙂

    Reply
  3. Sally Cook

    Paul
    Simple and clear, a lovel thought !
    I agree with Margaret.

    Hope lots of readers stop by.

    Reply
  5. Jeff Eardley

    A lovely Christmas thought to ponder. Thank you Paul and hope you have a good one.

    Reply
  6. Peter Hartley

    Paul – a wonderful thought, pithy, terse and very well written. If only…

    Reply
  7. C.B. Anderson

    I don’t do this kind of thing anymore, but I’m not unhappy that others still choose to carry on with gratuitous ornamentation.

    Reply
      • C.B. Anderson

        Exactimundo. That’s how I feel about dogs. I like dogs, but I am quite happy to like my neighbors’ dogs and not have to keep one myself.

  8. Susan Jarvis Bryant

    Paul, I love this bright idea and think you’re onto something here… as long as the dead and dud ones can vote too. You’ve lit up my Chrimbo with this brilliant flash of poetic inspiration… great stuff!

    Reply

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