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The Ultimate Christmas Gift

“Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought,
doesn’t come from a store.” —Dr. Seuss

This gift winks in the sparkle of the star
That tops the twinkling tree with spangled joy
__In honor of His boy—
The one who drew three Magi from afar,
And shepherds from their tasks and toils to gaze
__In wonderment
Upon a child more worthy of our praise
Than all the jewels strewn in the firmament.

This gift rings out in carols choirs sing
Of Bethlehem, a lowly cattle shed,
__A manger for a bed;
Of scintillating angels welcoming
The Word made precious flesh this holy day—
__A blessing sent
From Heaven—salvation cast our way—
A golden frankincense and myrrh event.

This gift lifts hoodwinked hearts to realms above
The toy-stuffed sled and red-nosed reindeer tales,
__To truth that never fails
To guide the meek who seek the glory of
Eternity beyond the curse of Earth.
__Love conquers death
For all who prize His gift and what it’s worth—
For us He gave His cherished Son’s last breath.

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Susan Jarvis Bryant has poetry published on Lighten Up Online, Snakeskin, Light, Sparks of Calliope, and Expansive Poetry Online. She also has poetry published in TRINACRIA, Beth Houston’s Extreme Formal Poems anthology, and in Openings (anthologies of poems by Open University Poets in the UK). Susan is the winner of the 2020 International SCP Poetry Competition, and has been nominated for the 2022 Pushcart Prize.

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34 Responses

  1. Jeffrey J Essmann

    How beautiful, Susan, how wonderful. Thanks so much for this, and Merry Christmas.

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Jeffrey, thank very much indeed! Here’s wishing you a beautiful Christmas and a peaceful and poetry-filled 2024!

      Reply
  2. Sally Cook

    The Christmas story, beautifully retold.
    Thank you, Susan., Mike, George and all rescued of God’s creatures/

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Dearest Sally, thank you very much, especially for the mention of God’s rescued creatures. Howie is thriving… and I have some beautiful news. Mike and I have a new addition to our family… Lucas the puppy, arriving in two weeks. That should stir things up in the Bryant backyard. A very Merry Christmas to you and Bob! x

      Reply
      • Susan Jarvis Bryant

        Sally, he’s a blue lacy – a medium sized Texas dog of calm disposition. We are cat people, so a dog is stepping outside our comfort zone somewhat. We are lucky to have received some excellent advice and we are ready for some Lucas love.

  3. Brian A. Yapko

    What a beautiful Christmas gift this poem is, Susan! Your present to us is wrapped with bedazzling images which leave this reader smiling and smitten with the sheer joy at the birth of Jesus and all the wonderment that it brings. I love how God’s great gift to us is tied into the gifts of the Magi and that “golden myrhh and frankincense event.” But you go far behond the birth of Jesus to the very meaning of His mission on Earth — not just His first breath but His last. This love comes from Heaven and arrives on Earth through a lowly manger. For those who prize this gift, love does indeed conquer death. Merry Christmas, Susan!

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Brian, thank you very much indeed! I have come to know that I can always rely upon your keen eye to pick out all the finer details of my poems and to appreciate where I’m coming from. That is a gift in itself, a gift that all on this site benefit from, a gift that I thank you for on this beautiful Christmas Morning. Brian, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a poetry-fueled year ahead. May your Muse continue to bless you!

      Reply
  4. Phil S. Rogers

    Most appropriate for Christmas morning, Thank you Susan, and Merry Christmas

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Thank you very much, Phil. A very merry Christmas to you too! And a wonderful New Year, of course.

      Reply
  5. Cynthia Erlandson

    Susan, this is a marvelous gift to us, on this Day of days! Thank you! Like Brian, I loved “golden frankincense event.” And the creative metrical scheme and rhyme scheme (which I assume you have invented for this poem) adds to the marvel of the content. Your poetry truly does “seek the glory of Eternity beyond the curse of earth.”

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Cynthia, I am truly moved by your continued support of my poetry. It means a lot. I thank you wholeheartedly for it and wish you and Paul a beautiful Christmas and a marvelous New Year!

      Reply
  6. Mark Stellinga

    His greatest gift – and His greatest sacrifice – and an exquisite commemoration, Susan. Wonderful Christmas piece, and Merry Christmas to you both, Mark & Connie.

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Thank you very much indeed, Mark. Here’s wishing you and Connie a wonderful Christmas from me and Mike… and, of course, a very happy New Year!

      Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      jd, you are most welcome, and thank you very much. Happy Christmas to you!

      Reply
  8. Russel Winick

    Fabulous, Susan – I love it! I’ll ditto all the comments above, and add that I wish there were even more holidays, so that you could bless us with even more masterpieces like this!

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Russel, thank you for your year-round support of my poetry and your encouragement for me to continue powering forward in the New Year! I thoroughly appreciate it! Happy Boxing Day!

      Reply
  9. Norma Pain

    A beautiful poem and Christmas gift to us all. Thank you Susan and merry Christmas to you and Mike.

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Thank you so very much, Norma. I hope you had a beautiful Christmas… and I have a feeling you’re still celebrating today.

      Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      David, you have made my Boxing Day! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the poem. Thank you for your beautiful words!

      Reply
  11. Jeff Eardley

    Susan, thank you for a lovely poem on this special day. You have lifted the gloom of a dreary old day over here. Best Yuletide wishes to you and Mike.⛄️

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Jeff, thank you! I hope the gloom lifts in the new year and things get much brighter in my homeland… in more ways than the weather. I wish you and your family a sunny 2024!

      Reply
  12. Daniel Kemper

    Like cool water on a sunburned brain, this beautiful poem about Christmas and Christ. Thank you for this. And Merry Christmas all!!

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Wow! “Like cool water on a sunburned brain” is a stroke of poetic genius that I’m tempted to steal… Daniel your comments rock… and I am over the moon to be the recipient of this one. Thank you!

      Reply
  13. Margaret Coats

    Susan, your stanza form shapes a special gift for the ultimate Gift. It’s different from an abbacdcd octave because the little lines make it swing and ring. “This gift” repeated to introduce each stanza maintains the theme. “Glory of eternity beyond the curse of earth” is ultimately definitive for this precious present.

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Margaret, I thoroughly appreciate your eye and ear for the melodic aspect of my poem and love the “swing and ring” observation. Thank you very much indeed! And… a very happy New Year to you and your family!

      Reply
  14. Yael

    Due to the fact that my cup is simply overflowing with God’s blessings, I just got around to reading your lovely Christmas poem now, and I love it! I hope you had a lovely and blessed Christmas and wish you a new year filled with God’s love and poetry.

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Yael, it’s always lovely to hear from you, and especially at Christmas. Thank you very much for your appreciation and support of my poetry throughout the year and for your insightful and interesting comments. I wish you a blessed new year – a year of peace and the warmth of God’s wonder.

      Reply
  15. Joshua C. Frank

    This is great, Susan! I love the form, with the two shorter lines that add up to the length of any one of the others in each stanza. The last stanza is, of course, my favorite part; people think Christmas is all about Santa Claus, when in reality, as the saying goes, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” I especially love how you connect His birth to His mission on earth.

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Joshua, I am thrilled you have enjoyed my Christmas message and I’m pleased you’ve homed into the real reason for the season with appreciation and joy. Thank you! I hope you had a lovely Christmas and wish you a very happy New Year!

      Reply

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