Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Ode on a Black Friday (Reprise)

(In case you missed it last year, or weren't reading this blog then. I thought about this when I saw the ads already appearing in today's --Wednesday's -- paper and decided to run it again this year.)


Our paper came on Turkey day.
It weighed about a ton.
'Twas full of ads for stores with sales
On stuff for play or fun.

Or maybe gifts for someone else,
Or items for our homes.
Seemed everything that stores can sell
Was offered in those tomes.

The Mall would open early,
And to get a super deal,
You had to rise at two or three,
(You’d better pack a meal!),

And stand in line outside the door
To be among the first,
Supplies were short. And all agreed;
To lose out was the worst!

So people from around the town
Did congregate and gather
Outside the doors of many stores,
And all were in a lather.

The folks would push and shove to be
The first inside to buy.
As “Don’t get in my way today,
I’ll knock you down!” they’d cry.

The traffic on the streets, it seemed,
Was packed and barely moving,
And tempers flared and teeth were bared.
'Twas not exactly soothing.

I wondered, in the midst of all
This snarling, angst, and hissing,
If maybe there was something here
That all of them were missing.

What happened to the “Ho, Ho, Ho!”
And “Peace on Earth!” we’d hear,
When friends and family gathered round
To share, from far and near?

This season is supposed to bring out
All the best in man,
Like loving, giving, peace and joy.
At least, that was the plan.

So what’s the answer? Is there, somehow,
Some sure way of stopping
The discontent connected with
Thanksgiving Friday Shopping?

For me it’s pretty simple:
When the mobs rush out to roam
The malls and stores and parking lots,
I’ll stay inside my home.

I’ll ponder God’s atoning Son,
The best gift given yet,
And do my Christmas shopping
On my high-speed internet!


14 comments:

Badabing said...

hehehe...that's a good one.

Anonymous said...

I love it when you post your poems. This one is great. Last month I decided to scrap a book on all the poems I had written and those written by friends. It gives me a break from scrapping 12 x 12 layouts. This one will go in with all the rest you have done. (If you don't mind, that is).

Duke_of_Earle said...

MIND!!??

Flattery will get you everywhere!

John

Anonymous said...

My husband asked the other day, musing aloud, 'what is Thanksgiving about - really?' We're British you see but we have a couple of American friends and do not like to feel/know we are ignorant. I Googled...the Mayflower, Plymouth Brethren and all that. I'd really be interested to read what the festival means to you all now. This poem says it all about the Christmas Season - and I'm with you for Internet shopping!

Peter said...

Hi John, my first question was going to be, do you know who wrote that? I see that it was you, congratulations, so now my question is, do you mind if I file that on my computer, I have EXTENSIVE files of poetry that I enjoy and there is no other use but enjoyment.

Karyn Lyndon said...

God's second best gift? High speed Internet!

(BTW, love the poem, again.)

Christina said...

I enjoyed that poem last year too. Good one!

Anonymous said...

Hi John and Carol - dropping by to wish you both Happy Thanksgiving and sending good wishes from across the mighty big pond.

Anonymous said...

That's pretty good. I guess I missed that last year. I'm a good internet shopper also...

happy T-day.

Anonymous said...

Hi John - your blogging life may not fit in with this - not sure - but I've tagged you for a little game: How Weird Am I?

Emmy Ellis said...

I love that poem.

I can only wish to write anything like it.

*sigh*

:o)

Nic said...

My dear friend, I hope that you and your delightful family had a beautiful Thanksgiving!

I LOVE this poem. You know how to get to the heart of the matter! :) Thanks for sharing it with us!

kenju said...

Excellent! My son-in-law was going to Best Buy at 1:00 am, to wait for the 5am opening and super sale on computers. When he got there, there were already 100 people in line. They had pitched tents to wait in all night. (He went back home) There is nothing in the universe I want badly enough to pitch a tent on a sidewalk by a store!

Anonymous said...

John, good on you. Hope you and the Misses are enjoying your brief holiday trip.