MELTED CANDLES
Evergreen, holly and mistletoe,
Heigho and a Christmas night!
Wind in the pines and drifting snow,
Stars and a world of white.
Oh, the joyful Christmas music!
There’s a carol—do you hear?
Have you caught the thrill of gladness
On this night of all the year?
Golden bells and shining baubles,
Spangled angels—do you see?
Silvered globes and painted soldiers,
Gay and gallant, gaudy soldiers,
Dangling from the Christmas tree.
There are candles, gleaming candles,
Down and ’round and overhead,
Twinkling, blinking ’twixt the branches,
Candles pink and blue and red.
Christmas candles, waxen candles,
Once so hard but soft’ning now,
Candles that the flames are melting,
Tiny Yuletide flames are melting,
Melting on the greenwood bough.
There is love and grace abounding
In the vibrant Christmas air.
Has it touched you? Has it thrilled you?
Have you felt it pulsing there?
Where the hearthstone of your heart is?
Or have all the wintry years
Only left beneath their drifting,
’Neath their cold and cheerless drifting,
Cherished wrongs and bitter tears?
Is there nothing in the spirit
Of the garlands and the wreathes?
Is there nothing in the message
That the fragrant balsam breathes?
Is there nothing in the legend
Of the Christ-child that can move
The lifeless souls of mortals,
The bleak, gray souls of mortals
To forgiveness, grace and love?
Oh, the hearts that beat resentment
While the Yuletides come and go,
Hearts that crave one little token,
Hearts too proud to have it so.
Christmas magic, may it move them,
Wheresoever rankle be,
Melt them as the flaming beacons,
As the radiant Yuletide beacons
Melt the candles on the tree.
Evergreen, holly and mistletoe,
Heigho and a Christmas night!
Wind in the pines and drifting snow,
Stars and a world of white.