In December 2015, I wrote the blog below the *** break. It seems like a message from a much different time–and it is. So many things have changed. Kamiko, six years old in 2015, is now twelve–twelve going on twenty-two. She scrutinizes me carefully and doles out advice on my clothing and makeup and makes fun of my limited ability with my iPhone. Both of the uncles in the 2015 post became fathers in the past 18 months. The tipsy auntie is the mother of one of the babies.
Marion, Massachusetts is a beautiful little town, a perfect setting for Dylan Thomas‘s famous poem, “A Child’s Christmas in Wales.” It is lovely, particularly so when you hear it read by its author. After a bit of searching, I found a free audio of Thomas reading it. He had a wonderful voice and it’s worth listening to here.
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December 2015: Last week I published a copy of “A Child’s Christmas in Wales.” Now, Kamiko is back in Marion for Christmas, asking me if we can play all the games we did last year (games of which I have no memory), put the gingerbread house together RIGHT NOW and–although it’s midnight and all the adults are exhausted–play a quick game of charades before she sleeps. So here is a reprise of “A Child’s Christmas in Marion.” Whatever holiday you do or do not celebrate this time of year, I hope you get some time off to enjoy yourself and I wish all of us a kinder, more peaceful year ahead.
With apologies to Dylan Thomas’ “A Child’s Christmas in Wales”—
One Christmas was…like another in those years around the sea-town corner.
Birds the color of red-flannel petticoats whisked past the harp-shaped hills
It seemed that all the churches boomed for joy.
Cats in their fur-abouts watched the fires.
There are always uncles at Christmas. The same uncles.
Auntie laced her tea with rum, because it was only once a year.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
