the ramblings of a perambulent and often distracted sojourner
The eighth day of Christmas coincides with the first day of the New Year on the Gregorian calendar. In Christian symbolism, coincidentally, it stands for resurrection, regeneration and new beginnings (eight people not only survived the Great Deluge, but represent humanity’s new start.)
All this in eight maids a-milkin’!
Eighth day of Christmas
Exit old, in with the new
Possibilities!
In the vast circle of life, the finish is also a beginning!
I have to title it this way to manage a haiku’s first line of five syllables (eleven will present a challenge!) “Seven swans a swimming” traditionally represent the old charismatic gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
Seven of Christmas
Sages of long past ages
Renew our deep fire
Digging into ancient wisdom thrusts us into the eternal now.
Six geese a-layin’ somehow symbolise the six days of creation. The prologue of the fourth gospel draws strong identification of the Logos, Christ, with the beginning of all things. Somehow geese invite contemplation of how even the absurd fits into the matrix of all that is.
Sixth day of Christmas
Geese and ganders proud parade
sound forth creation.
The music of the spheres and amusement of odd creatures sing glory
Those five golden rings traditionally stand for the Pentateuch – the first five books of the Hebrew and Christian sacred texts. The law of Moses distilled in the Christ gift. The principle of Shalom that underwrites stable and fulfilled society. Love actually!
Fifth Day of Christmas
Sumptuous summer sales soar
Wiser heads relax
To produce is to encourage to consume; to be to love to live.
Take a pick from your four favourite Hebrew prophets, the four gospels, or (perhaps topically) the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Or why not all together? They tell a whole story – premonition, action and completion. A haiku followed by an American Sentence.
Fourth Day of Christmas
Earth, fire, air and water dance
Logos appears now!
Past, present and things to come conspire to sing the eternal moment!
In the song, “Twelve Days of Christmas”, on this day, the true love sends three French hens.
Some traditions say that this day symbolizes faith, hope and charity, or the Holy Trinity, or the three gifts of the Magi. It is also the Feast of St Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Today, as we languish in Perth’s third day of our Christmas heatwave, we reflect on the passing of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a spiritual giant of South Africa. Today thus calls for both a haiku and an American Sentence!
Third day of Christmas
hens peck their way to glory
laying eggs of gold.
In blissful mirth and common sense, the Arch dances through the golden gates.
Temperature wise, Boxing Day eclipses yesterday by hitting the mercury at 44 Celsius (111.2 Fahrenheit). With Perth dipping into long avoided COVID restrictions (masks in internal public gatherings) and Christmas Day fatigue, we are skipping church services today. Great opportunity, however, to reflect more deeply on this season that we have entered and how one incarnates the Divine that has come amongst us.
Day Two of Christmas
Leftovers divided wide
Joy shares radiance.
In seeking to revive some wordsmith skills, I intend to irritate my readers with some 5/7/5 syllable poetic reflections after the Japanese haiku style. I have already learned of a school of thought that asserts that English iterations of this style tend to do little justice to the beauty of classic Japanese literary rhythms. Instead, it is suggested that fans employ the 17 syllable “American Sentence.” I’ve marked this for further exploration, but am happy for the moment to keep trying the traditional three liner. It appeals to me for its invitation to
So let’s start a “Twelve Days of Christmas” series. Yesterday we did Christmas Aussie style – 43 Celsius (109 Fahrenheit) heat, air con blowing, too much turkey and ham, lots of salads, a swimming pool and a guest celebrating a first ever Christmas since leaving a 40 year membership with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Now to sum it up in a haiku!
First day of Christmas
Sun, fun, family and guests
Bright radiance birthed!
And so in this corner of the world, 21st December, Gravy Day, draws to a close. It deserves its own haiku.
Gravy Day unites
Far flung rellies for Christmas
Sing mixed woe and joy .
For you I sorrow
I may even rise and move
and we transform us!
Wondering Pilgrim 