A Christmas poem by Vachel Lindsay

Here’s a Christmas poem from Vachel Lindsay’s The Congo and Other Poems, published one hundred and three years ago in 1914. It’s also an introductory poem to the first half of the third section of the book. It’s entitled “This Section Is a Christmas Tree.”

“This Section Is a Christmas Tree”

This section is a Christmas tree:
Loaded with pretty toys for you.
Behold the blocks, the Noah’s arks,
The popguns painted red and blue.
No solemn pine-cone forest-fruit,
But silver horns and candy sacks
And many little tinsel hearts
And cherubs pink, and jumping-jacks.
For every child a gift, I hope.
The doll upon the topmost bough
Is mine. But all the rest are yours.
And I will light the candles now.

—-Vachel Lindsay

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, a wonderful holiday season, and a prosperous and joyous New Year from the staff at Buckeyemuse (said staff being myself and two cats).

Patrick Kerin

Source:

The Congo and Other Poems by Vachel Lindsay, Dover Thrift edition edited by Shane Weller, Dover Publications, Inc., 1992.