A Lifetime of Christmas Poetry
My mom, Raynette Forister Eitel, passed away in September of 2022, age
85, drifting away into dementia. It was tragic to watch this woman who loved
words, who was a poet and teacher, fade away into wordlessness after a lifetime
of crafting poetry.
Mom had a tradition of writing a new Christmas poem each year and
sending it to friends and relatives. The mailing list grew each year, and
people always told us they looked forward to mom’s Christmas poems. She
published some in a couple little books. There are too many to post just once a
day during the month of December, but I’ll choose some of the best.
A Storm Rages its Tinsel
by Raynette Eitel
A storm rages its tinsel
On a town gone berserk
With holly in a spray can
And a Santa in every mall.
Inside the eye of the Christmas hurricane,
Watching shoppers blow by at breakneck speed,
I pause beside a candle’s flame.
Here is a simple stable’s warmth,
The brilliance of a star I cannot see.
Here I will pray for Peace on Earth,
For a truly Holy Night,
And for a New Year calmed by the light
Of one bright star.
Writing Rhetorically 