Poets’ Corner: Rosemerry on Connecting at Xmas

21 Dec Poets’ Corner: Rosemerry on Connecting at Xmas

All the lonely people. Where do they all come from? And where are they now during the holidays? What are they doing? Many won’t be receiving gifts – not even the gift of a smile or warm, reassuring hug. Unless you take the initiative and reach out to a person who might be otherwise unseen.

This poem by our favorite Wordwoman, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer (and regular contributor to Telluride Inside.. and Out) is about one such “Encounter” at Christmas.

And for a last-minute gift during the holiday season, any season really, check out Rosemerry’s “even now,” a collaboration with artist Jill Sabella, now available at Telluride’s Between the Covers Bookstore.

And, as just suggested, even now you can make a difference with nothing more than simple gesture of acknowledgement.

Encounter

It was, perhaps, the Virgin

herself who passed me

on the street today, but

without her halo, without

her donkey, I did not recognize her.

She did not ask for help,

not exactly, but she wore

the look of the lost

and something else—

a manner of dignity.

It was only hours later

I let her into my thoughts.

There’s not a lot

of room in there,

so I offered her the stable.

She took it. When my son

points out the stars tonight,

I can’t help but think

they look brighter

than usual. Look, I say

to the part of me that would

close the door to her,

would close to anyone,

look how easily

one person can enter

into even the lowliest

place we offer them and make

the world shine.