DPF / Leithauser

PIA: from December 31, 2014.

For the passing year, from The Best American Poetry, 2014.

from In My Last Past Life / by Hailey Leithauser

a forest and love and a river,  and grief

was a ghost hidden green in the leaves,
an echo off cliffs that bound back the sea

DPF / Merrill

For Mr. Merrill, who I met once at a Los Angeles performance of his play which may have been The Image Maker: A Play in One Act; this poem is a concrete poem in its proper form, a poem in the shape of a Christmas tree. Here is one place in which the poem may be found: http://onwardspoetry.blogspot.com/2009/02/christmas-tree-by-james-merrill.html.

from Christmas Tree / by James Merrill

The point from the start was to keep  my spirits up.
I could assent to that. For honestly,
It did help to be wound in jewels, to send
Their colors flashing forth from vents in the deep
Fragrant sable that cloaked me head to foot.
Over me then they wove a spell of shining–
Purple and silver chains, eavesdripping tinsel,
Amulets, milagros: software of silver,
A heart, a little girl, a Model T,
Two staring eyes.

DPF / Fishback

For all those perfecting the skill of perfect packaging for those of us taking the material seriously at this time of year that glimmers on many levels, from poetryfoundation.org.

from A Copywriter’s Christmas / by Margaret Fishback

The Twenty-fifth is imminent
And every known expedient
Designed for making Christmas pay
Is getting swiftly under way

DPF / Piercy

For another holiday of the season, Hanukkah, from poetryfoundation.org. The poem may be found at: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/57592 .

 

from Season of skinny candles / by Marge Piercy

When even the moon
starves to a sliver
of quicksilver
the little candles poke
holes in the blackness.

DPF / Castillo

For the season, from poetryfoundation.org. The poem may be found at: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/53741.

from Christmas, 1970 / by Sandra M. Castillo

We assemble the silver tree,
our translated lives,
its luminous branches,
numbered to fit into its body.
place its metallic roots
to decorate our first Christmas.

DPF / Frost

For the trees, from poetryfoundation.org.

from Christmas Trees / by Robert Frost

He asked if I would sell my Christmas trees;
My woods—the young fir balsams like a place
Where houses all are churches and have spires.
I hadn’t thought of them as Christmas Trees.

DPF / Williams

For those who carry heavy bags this time  of year, and for the children, and for those who celebrate this particular holiday and for those who don’t, may they receive mail from near and far as well this month, from http://www.christmas-time.com/ct-christmaspostman.htm.

from Christmas Postman / by Alan Williams

Here comes the welcome Christmas postman
His cautious post-van skidding down the snow bound lane
Now up our fresh cleared path he strides
With Christmas greetings once again 
It must be nice for those inside
With garlands hung on every side
With warmth and cheer and more beside
And Christmas cards from far and wide

DPF / Rossetti

For the season, from http://www.christmas-time.com/bunchofholly.htm.

from A Bunch of Holly / by Christina Rossetti

But give me holly, bold and jolly,
Honest, prickly, shining holly;
Pluck me holly leaf and berry
For the day when I make merry.

 

DPF / Graham

For drawing and dreams, from Poetry, December 2016 issue.

from Mother’s Hands Drawing Me / by Jorie Graham

I
dreamt I have to get this dress on, if
I get this dress on I will not die

DPF / Fingston

For cherubs, from poetryfoundattion.org.

from December / by Roger Pfingston

Lodged tight for days
in a corner of the wall,
ladybug can’t resist the tree