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It Was Only a Winter’s Tale

based on David Essex’s classic 1982 Christmas song

The nights are ever short and growing cold;
the front door lies ajar from when you left
one evening, though your reasons were untold,
and in the time between I’ve been bereft.
Your footprints have been overwhelmed by snow,
I can’t pursue you even if I wished,
while in the hearth a warming fire’s aglow—
it’s Christmas, I’m alone and you are missed.
The Yuletide church bells ring, perhaps you hear,
and if you do, I wish you all the best;
for what it’s worth, although you’re no more near
I hope your worldly wishes are addressed.
A yarn of flawed devotion, doomed to fail—
our love was just another winter’s tale.

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Paul A. Freeman is the author of Rumours of Ophir, a crime novel which was taught in Zimbabwean high schools and has been translated into German. In addition to having two novels, a children’s book and an 18,000-word narrative poem (Robin Hood and Friar Tuck: Zombie Killers!) commercially published, Paul is the author of hundreds of published short stories, poems and articles.

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20 Responses

  1. James A. Tweedie

    Not all stories have happy endings, at least not for every character involved. This is a tale well-told in fine verse that captures what reality is for many people. I have a friend who will spend Christmas on an out-of-state trip simply because he finds it hard to be at home alone over Christmas. Paul, your story touches my heart and, no doubt, many others.

    Reply
    • Paul A. Freeman

      For a long time, ‘It’s Only a Winter’s Tale’ is my favourite Christmas song, but it was only when I decided to write it as a sonnet and listened to the words more carefully that I realised how melancholic it was.

      Even so, it’s still my favourite.

      Reply
    • Paul A. Freeman

      Thank you, Norma. I really must try to write a jollier poem for the X-mas season.

      Thanks for reading.

      Reply
  3. Shamik Banerjee

    This poem touched me. It’s gentle tone is everything, and I feel that a soft glow of forgiveness pervades throughout the piece. Thank you so much for sharing it, Mr. Freeman.

    Reply
    • Paul A. Freeman

      I’m glad you found that the poem conveys the sentiment of David Essex’s Christmas song from 41 years ago.

      Thanks for reading and commenting, Shamik.

      Reply
  5. Brian A. Yapko

    I really enjoyed this also, Paul. Yes, this is an achingly sad poem, but it has a great deal of charm to it. And there’s no question that Christmas has its melancholy moments as we remember those who are no longer with us whether it’s due to a break-up, illness, distance or death. “I wish you all the best” is often spoken, sometimes sincerely sometimes grudgingly, but for some reason when you say these words in this poem I find it extremely moving. I believe you.

    Reply
  6. Laura Lesinski

    This was beautifully done. Admittedly I have not heard the song, but the flow and sentiment from your poem gives me the idea that I would like it. It strikes a chord with me and I’m faced with the yearly challenge of writing a family poem summarizing our year, and I enclose in my Christmas cards. However this year i lost my sister, and the loss is felt still after 8 months. To convey this in the poem would be overwhelming….to ignore would feel wrong…I need to figure it out somehow.

    So Paul, your poem gives me pause. It is true and honest and real. Life gives us heart wrenching times. It also gives us joy. God’s gift is not always understood.

    Reply
    • Paul A. Freeman

      Laura, there’s a link under the title of the poem which goes to the song by David Essex.

      With regards to your family Christmas poem, I asked Evan to post the poem linked below on August 16th, which he did, without asking why, for which I thank him. The poem is ostensibly about my favourite photograph of my Mum, and later in the day I was reading it out at her funeral.

      It’s the first time I’ve mentioned this because I wanted people at SCP to read the poem at face value, in celebration of my Mum, not with sadness.

      Perhaps writing a poem based on a particular memory of your sister, as I did with the photograph of my Mum could help.

      https://classicalpoets.org/2023/08/15/my-favourite-photo-of-mum-a-poem-by-paul-a-freeman/

      Have a merry Christmas. I’m sure one way or another your sister will still be with you.

      Reply
      • Laura Lesinski

        Thank you, Paul, for your kind reply and for pointing out the link. Lovely song. Very well written and sung.
        You’ve given me an idea I had not thought of in writing a poem about my sister. I will indeed give it serious consideration.
        And yes…she is always with us.
        I can see how the writing process for this was difficult. Kudos to you.

      • Margaret Coats

        Laura, having received and enjoyed your chatty family Christmas chronicle last year, I can see and feel your difficulty. I second Paul’s suggestion of a separate poem about your sister. It could be a little memorial to her for always, not necessarily tied to the year of her passing. May she rest in peace!

  7. Roy Eugene Peterson

    Christmastime magnifies our heartaches and losses. You wrote a beautiful poem about those circumstances and the feelings that are intensified while others can celebrate.

    Reply
    • Paul A. Freeman

      Thanks for reading and commenting, Roy.

      It was an intense experience writing this poem, all the more worthwhile when folks have enjoyed it.

      Reply
  8. Susan Jarvis Bryant

    Paul, David Essex’s song is a favourite of mine too, and it never fails to bring tears to my eyes, as your poem has – a beautiful sonnet that does the song every justice. The closing couplet is perfect.

    Reply
    • Paul Freeman

      Thanks for reading and commenting, Susan. My other favourite Christmas song is the Power of Love, though I’m not sure it was originally Christmas themed.

      Reply
  9. Dave Whippman

    Thanks Paul, you did justice to the song, which I remember liking at the time. By the way, I believe the lyrics were taken from a John Betjeman poem.

    Reply
  10. Sally Cook

    Paul, there is so much to recall, both beautiful and melancholic, at Christmas. Your poem touches on a great deal of it. Thank you so much for reminding us of all the events and dear people we have known..

    Reply

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