The Tired Old Man And His Sweet Christmas Dream

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

The Tired Old Man And His Sweet Christmas Dream

Christmas was great back then,
even a child knew that was true
old man paused remembering when
that barefoot kid got his new shoes.

They had good times on that farm
having each other and mom's love
work each day after clock's early alarm
thanked their blessings and God above.

Smiling happily he saw,
sister had got her secondhand dress
and baby brother his nickel toy
thy had more when they had less.

Christmas and family had love,
tho' hard, love made up for sad aches
and mother being angel that she was
her now gone, greatest of heartbreaks.

Snow had blanketed the ground,
he danced in it in his new shoes
sister danced, her blue dress flew around
gone then were his old and sad blues.

Smiling happily he saw,
sister had got her secondhand dress
and baby brother his nickel toy
thy had more when they had less.

O' how decades have flown by,
Christmas no longer shines bright
he thought, I am too old to cry
yet cry he did that very night.

Dawn stepped forth with a glow,
a white Christmas morn had came
waking to that glimmering show
nothing would ever be the same.

Smiling happily he saw,
sister had got her secondhand dress
and baby brother his nickel toy
thy had more when they had less.

There in his bedroom, his family stood
each had a Christmas morn gift
he wondered, but how, how could
they be here to my soul uplift?

All had passed on, he alone had stayed
so how could this sweet vision be
had his sorrow this dream made
could this be his future he see?

Then a voice said, come with us Jim,
you have tarried here far too long
We are to take you on now, to him
leave that cold-bed, come right along.

Smiling happily he saw,
sister had got her secondhand dress
and baby brother his nickel toy
thy had more when they had less.

R.J. Lindley
December 28th, 1989

Note: Written the Christmas, one year and five days after my daughter's birth.
When we truly had more and we were truly blessed...

Copyright © Robert Lindley | Year Posted 2017

Before I forget, I want to wish all here, A Very Merry Christmas and A Happy New Years.....
Decided to present this poem , after many years of keeping it private.
Life is one great mystery and some of us get to live long enough to become a better person and find happiness in our old age..
Even be blessed too(!), tho' having lived a less that stellar life.
Beats me as to the why ,but somebody up there has been looking out for this old , tired dog... Tyr

[darin]

I wonder what changes in people - the most grateful, happy people i know or have known had 'less' as opposed to 'more' stuff.


1996 I was a GS5 making about $23,000/year. I cleared less than $700 every two weeks. My rent was $350/month. My wife made barely more than minimum wage which was about $5/hour.

I think I always had money. Extra money. And if I found $20 or was gifted $20, I'd think I was super lucky.

Today I make a. lot. more and think that I'm about broke all the time. Now finding €20 in a pocket becomes 'meh....'

I am not as grateful or thankful with what I have - generally wanting more or something new.

[High_Plains_Drifter]

Awesome poem, brother Tyr... thank you.