When we met
we agreed
he would stay for
two weeks.
He was welcome --
so charming,
so fine.
Now it's been
a whole month.
He must go soon for sure.
But he fits now
into our
design.
He's charming,
eclectic,
bright spirited,
cheery.
We forget that
he's only
a pine.
© Mary Lee Hahn, 2013
we agreed
he would stay for
two weeks.
He was welcome --
so charming,
so fine.
Now it's been
a whole month.
He must go soon for sure.
But he fits now
into our
design.
He's charming,
eclectic,
bright spirited,
cheery.
We forget that
he's only
a pine.
© Mary Lee Hahn, 2013
Yes, it's true. Our Christmas tree is still up. It still makes us happy every day. It's time, though. We know it's time. We'll say goodbye this weekend.
Tabatha has the Poetry Friday roundup at The Opposite of Indifference this week.
You captured everything I always feel when a Christmas tree is in my house! I am a firm believer, like Charles Dickens, "I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all year." Even if it means leaving the tree up longer :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great poem, Mary Lee! You had me, too, because I hadn't scrolled down to the picture yet when I read it. Happiest New Year to you!
ReplyDeleteOh, I love this. I always feel a certain kind of wistful to say goodbye to Christmas trees. Ours just left...and there's a big hole in the corner. He "fit into our design too..." Just hang some hearts! xo, a.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Robyn! I had no idea where this was going. Love it!
ReplyDeleteLovely surprise of a poem :). Two years ago, I left our tree up for an entire year as a tribute to a cousin who passed away (our favorite memory of her was on a Christmas Eve). Of course our tree was artificial, but the sentiment was real and we really enjoyed looking at it every day and thinking of her. I'm always sad taking down a Christmas tree.
ReplyDeleteYour poem made me smile, Mary Lee. Great surprise at the end!
ReplyDeleteOnce again I am in in awe how you caught me in your writing. Thank you for sharing your beautiful tree with us.
ReplyDeleteMary Lee,
ReplyDeleteMany decades ago, I got a terrible flu in January. I was so sick that I was out of work for more than a week. I didn't fully recuperate for more than a month. That year, we didn't take our Christmas visitor down until mid-February. There wasn't a needle left on that tree by the time we took it through our apartment and threw it off the second-story porch. I was vaccuuming up needles for many weeks after that.
I enjoyed reading your poem. It brought back memories.
Tee hee! I'm glad that the placement of the picture worked as intended for the surprise ending.
ReplyDelete:-)
Thank you for bringing joy to their household, little tree!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about a cat, and then I saw the photograph...lovely surprise!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun poem. This year we didn't have a real tree. Someone gave us a four foot artificial tree. It went up in November and came down on January 1. I loved that I didn't have to worry about it.
ReplyDeleteFun poem, Mary Lee! Love that you still have your tree up - we took down all the decorations except some rainbow mini lights in the doorway between the kitchen and living room - I'm keeping those up all year long. =)
ReplyDeleteAnd here I thought you were talking about a dog! Love the ending.
ReplyDeleteAnd I thought you were talking about an eccentric uncle. Lovely poem!
ReplyDeleteGreat surprise ending. I was a little worried at first but then you gave me a good laugh. They are lovely visitors until they lose their needles.
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time saying goodbye to our tree, too. This year ours went up in a huge scout bonfire -- much better than being carted off to be shredded.
ReplyDeleteI love your poem. Thank you.
A grand surprise (or trick one might say). I thought it was some sort of pet, too. You must have needle visitors lingering. Thanks Mary Lee!
ReplyDeleteWonderful poem, love the surprise at the end.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun! Like everyone else I was caught by the surprise ending.
ReplyDeleteViolet N.
I always feel a sentimental sadness when the tree comes down. I like the surprise ending. So many of us can relate. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYeah, a nice surprise! You took a familiar dilemma (when do we take down the Christmas tree) and found a fresh take on it.
ReplyDeleteAww, this is nice, Mary Lee. As a tropical girl, we never really experienced having an actual pine tree inside our home - we usually have the synthetic ones. I am sure the smell must be positively awesome.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, our synthetic tree which my husband created and designed is up the whole year round in our home. :) It's a permanent fixture. :)