Joyful Season
For most of this undancing year,
for Easter, Candle-time, and Michaelmas,
may the mercy of the Lord -
or the scarcity of liquor - keep us sober ,
but let us wassail this Christmas eve!
I do not want for busyness
nor diligence in summer, spring, and fall;
but the holly of the season –
or the holm, the ivy, and the bay festooned -
make love spring up like tender plants!
Porter, punch, and the hot negus
turn our minds to your beauteous romance:
we hear the carol of the Waits -
we remember then to give thanks for thee,
Joseph - humbled - and cherry tree.
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notes
We are giving thanks to Mary, mother of Jesus, and refer to the story of Joseph and the cherry tree: Mary asked Joseph to get her some cherries from the tree, and Joseph - in a bad mood - replied that the fellow that got her in a family way should get those cherries. At this, the cherry tree bent over and bowed down, bringing its branches and fruit within Mary's reach.
negus - a type of hot punch.
the Waits - these were the town criers, who had their own types of songs to sing in Christmas. These songs are vanished and the tunes and structure are unknown.
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