A Christmas Grace

CHRISTMAS came wrapped up when we were young:
Wonder piled under a tree of ornaments, candles, stars;
Merry and fresh in passing as a music once heard sung —
Dear for its flavors, smells, surprise, and the ratchet of key-winding toys and cars.

Far to the westward, eastward, north of us and south,
Thousands, millions . . . millions keep that Christmas in kind hearts.
We keep it too: it is in our letters, the first word in our mouth
Crossing the seas between us. Christmas, carry them Christmas! the carol starts . . .

Jungle and desert, islands in fog, stones of what bomb-riven place;
Ships of the convoys, ships of the fathomless levels above;
Distance and solitudes — we live them, think them. Oh, but may the grace
Of a world that is waiting and wanting be yours for the Christmas we love.