All You Need Is Love

Away in a manger.. .

Woss a manger, Miss?

I reply, 

It's a box full of hay.

No crib for a bed. .   

Woss a crib, Miss?

I said,

It's a little cot.

The cattle are lowing.

Woss  lowin' ', Miss?

Why are they lowin' '?

Woss he bin put on hay for?

Why din't that Jesus ever cry

 (Can't shut ours up . . .   )

Why we gotta sing this stuff, Miss?

I pine for tradition.

see the past as puffs of smoke

leaving faint signals:

shepherds,

                 kings,

                          a star,

                                     angels ...

But I give in.

As the stars in the bright sky

look down from above,

at the  Carol Concert

we begin with

Jingle Bells

and end with 

All You Need is Love !  


(from the "love bites" collection)