Margaret Langford

New England Christmas

Margaret Langford

Weather planned the day for us¾

calm gray then gentle flakes

deceptive

too late the storm for turning back.

From car snow-bound to house

the log-road led us on its ice

sliding upward

our

arms bearing fruitcake

ginger cookies

not too fragile presents.

Behind us prints lay

the prints

of bodies, boots and arms

outlined

from momentary slips.

We passed

beyond the old farmhouse foundation-

dim memory

of dour and discontented owners

lingering in the earth-

to reach

our welcome.

Inside, wood-stove,

Christmas smells¾ tree and

turkey, sauces bubbling

puddings steaming-

laughter, toasts, tales of other times

and ways.

Fire-warmed faces watched

the snow erasing sky and earth

uniting all in white.

We journeyed back to how

things used to be -

embraced pause that framed the day

and graced the moment.

Margaret Langford is Professor of French at Keene State College, Keene , New Hampshire