What’s Christmas mean, if we stop to think?

Think of the wars and the terrorist bids,
Think of the slums and shanty towns
And umpteen million half-starved kids!

The contrast kills my appetite
For luscious food on plates piled high:
The irony of festive bliss
If we’ll but turn a bleary eye!

Two worlds apart – yet linked by this:
God on earth to reconcile,
The loving, saving Prince of Peace,
Who bids us celebrate in style.

Then keep with Christ his rightful feast,
Anticipate a world set free
To eat its fill and share its joys –
Christmas is how it’s going to be!

Arnold Kellett, one of 101 poems
in ‘Kellett’s Christmas’ (ISBN 1 85852 115 7)
Arnold is also the author of the new illustrated hardback,
The A - Z of Christmas (1 85852 318 4) £12.99 MPH