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Celebrating nature and holidays through poetry

Nature and Holidays as Subjects

Life has plenty of things worth rejoicing. Although some days do not turn out as desired, there isn’t a reason not to wake up and hope for the best. So, if you secure even the smallest victories, go ahead and enjoy them.

Nature is one of poetry’s celebrated subjects. Poets have woven it into their pieces as early as 3 BCE. Poems that center around it express admiration for the world’s wonders. Such pieces sometimes offer symbols and metaphors for life as well. My poem, “A Sunbeam,” talks about the sun and likens it to the Lord. The following stanzas describe its appearance and compares its brightness to God as He serves as the light of our lives.

The sun appears as a bright ball
Set above as a distant sight
An attractive display distinguished from all,
Which warms us with its bright light.

You are the Bright Morning Sun, our radiance
And on the road of life, You are our guide.
You surround us with Your divine presence;
Thus, You fill our lives and take away our pride.

Aside from nature, holidays are also worth the celebration. People partake in them to not only honor tradition (and take a break from responsibilities), but to have a pleasant experience in the company of loved ones as well.

One such event is Christmas. Christians around the world see this as a special event as it commemorates the birth of Christ. Three of my poems revolve around the beloved holiday.

The first poem, “Christmas Essence,” talks about the holiday’s true meaning. The stanza below expresses my sadness for the loss of its spirit.

But the essence of Christmas is forgotten

Even as the joy and peace of Jesus’s coming

Is today much sought and spoken about

With unspeakable longing.

Another poem, “Christmas Tradition,” also laments on people’s view of the holiday.

The world does not want to receive You as its King

But wants, for the celebration of Your birthday

To stay away from You, separate, to cling

To its own, to follow its own way.

And so, for Christmas

Many say to themselves

That all they want is

The fulfillment of their desires and nothing else.

In tradition alone, there is no essence—

That is why the world must come to You;

There is instead much lack of reverence—

That is why they need to receive You.

Here are verses from my last two holiday-themed poems (“Christmas Cheer” and “The Christmas News” respectively), which remind us why we celebrate Christmas in the first place.

Today we celebrate Christmas again

Because Jesus was born into a world of pain;

We hear many melodies sung

Because the will of God the Father was done.

The child of Bethlehem—the defender of Israel—

He whose name is Emmanuel

Came to us as a baby in a way that was so humble

To save us from eternal damnation and from so much trouble.

With all the merrymaking that goes on during this holiday, some people forget the point of the season. Aside from getting together with people at parties, Christmas is a time for giving, just as what the Lord did through offering Christ as a gift to humanity.

I hope my featured pieces may bring you some enlightenment. If you have questions or want to start discussions on this post, you may share your thoughts by leaving a comment below. You may also direct them through Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads. For more reflective and motivational poems, you may check out my book, The Mysteries of My Soul.

References

Nesdoly, Violet. n.d. “Nature Poetry.” Utmost Christian Writers. Accessed July 30, 2018. http://www.utmostchristianwriters.com/articles/article3012.php.

Academy of American Poets. 2014. “Nature Poems.” Texts. Accessed July 30, 2018.

Interesting Literature. 2017. “The Best Poems about Holidays.” August 16, 2017. Accessed July 30, 2018. https://interestingliterature.com/2017/08/16/the-best-poems-about-holidays/.

Osu, Gabriel. 2012. “The True Essence of Christmas.” Vanguard, December 24, 2012. Accessed July 30, 2018. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/12/the-true-essence-of-christmas/.