From “Come Christmas” by David McCord in Christmas Poems, selected by Myra Cohn Livingston:
You see this Christmas tree all silver gold?
It stood out many winters in the cold,
with tinsel sometimes made of crystal ice,
say once a winter morning-maybe twice.
More often it was trimmed by fallen snow
so heavy that the branches bent, with no
one anywhere to see how wondrous is
the hand of God in that white world of his.
And if you think it lonely through the night
when Christmas trees in houses take the light,
remember how his hand put up one star in
this same sky so long ago afar.
All stars are hung so every Christmas tree
has one above it. Let’s go out and see.
From “Two Trees” by Constance Levy in Christmas Magic: Poems and Carols, selected by Diane Goode:
They are dressing the tallest tree
in the city square
to light tonight.
A silver star shines
on its tip.
Now they are draping
strings of rainbow drops
from bough to bough.
Tonight
it will dazzle us with lights
and everyone will sing.
Over there
on the edge of the square
rather small, very young
is another tree
snow sprinkled,
twinkling silver
in the sun.
A sparrow sits
on top of it
so proud, so still…
Who will sing to THIS tree?
ME — I WILL!
