Carnegie Hall

As promised, here is my script for the Carnegie Hall concert tonight at the Tim Janis - American Christmas Carol concert.

I will welcome everybody to the concert and introduce Tim. Then throughout the two and half hour concert I will read the following poems. I am delighted for the experience and indebted to Tim for the invitation. To see who's performing check back to Monday's post.

Smith Script:

The village greens of the world have long been the center of gatherings and celebrations. And so it is today especially on the village green's within our hearts.

Village Green

© 2010 Rolland G. Smith

It’s snowing on the village green

Where drifts of white are clearly seen.

And trees are lit with colors bright

For magic sleighs to see at night.

Small children play and run around

And toss the snow that’s on the ground.

Their rosy cheeks and mittens white

Announcing soon its Christmas night.

Some carolers stroll ‘long the green

To sing the songs of season’s scene

For it’s a special time of year

Of good will hopes and Christmas cheer.

Yet sleighs and songs are symbols for

A lasting gift of time before.

Where birth and breath did crown a king

And angels taught the earth to sing.

But on the green the glee runs free

With children laughing round the tree.

They know not yet the gifts of God,

But time will change their mind’s façade.

Perhaps their laughs and hopes are one

To hold all joy beyond the sun.

Where sleighs and trees are metaphor

For peace on earth forevermore.

Christmas is a lyrical time of year. Children learn rhymes and poems and lines from songs and they remember forever. It is a time of anticipation and one of hopes and wishes.

This poem is called:

Christmas Time

© 2010 Rolland G. Smith

Christmas time surprises as it jumps out from the cold

To warm the late December days with frankincense and gold.

It heralds in with music, in the silent of the night,

And when it wakes the child within my memories are all bright.

Happy thoughts are set to play within the festive light

And brighten up the shortened days with friends who reunite.

Chums of old and pals of new, all wishing Christmas cheer,

With drifting sparks from glowing logs to warm the midnight clear.

It’s wrapping hearts in holly green and Rudolph red with bow

And standing ‘neath a hanging sprig of kissing mistletoe.

Dancing dreams of sugarplums and minted candy cane

Bring visions of a Christmas tree and a circling tooting train.

There’s spruce to cut and wreaths to make in circles and in sprays

That decorate the doors and hearths on merry Noel days.

There are lights to string, and wood to bring, and ornaments to make

For packages beneath the tree, as snow begins to flake.

.

We hark to hear the angles sing with distant family near

And love to hear a child say the names of eight reindeer.

Layered thoughts of Christmas past and shiny ones today

Remind us of a stable birth where shepherds knelt to pray.

There are jingle bells and icicles and packages to tie

With ribbons tight and wrappings bright of sleighs up in the sky,

There’s hugs galore and candy more and kids with favorite toys

And shirts and socks and building blocks for little girls and boys.

There are cards and calls and carols and candles fill the room

And tins of sugar cookies shine by red poinsettia bloom.

Christmas time indeed surprises in a special wondrous way

In winter and forever it’s a favorite holiday.

Manger Child

© 2010 Rolland G. Smith

O manger child of Christmas morn,

Archangels bowed when you were born.

The holy light from Cherubim

Graced your spirit in Bethlehem.

O manger child, please grace our heart

That sees your stable birth impart

A sacred truth for all to share,

Love is the answer and the prayer.

Amen, my child. Amen my Lord,

Hear harmony in Christmas chord

From bells and voices of the young

With songs of heart in carols sung.

O Sing my child your song of light

That we may see all mornings bright.

Especially this season of

The Christmas spirit as above.

We sing, we sing what joy does bring

From breaking dawn to evening

We sing along with choral throng

And chapel chimes ‘til evensong.

O mystic child upon this day

Your love is heard in pull of sleigh,

In ringing bells, and white snowdrift

And presents wrapped as Christmas gift.

Your gift to us, to all of us

From child’s heart harmonious.

A simple truth we can redeem,

Love is the gift. The gift supreme.