This collection of poems and site features presents many Christmases: spiritual and secular, bleak and hopeful, individual and communal. W. S. Di Piero, Alice Fulton, and Conrad Hilberry capture the feelings evoked by city streets and natural landscapes around the holidays. E. E. Cummings’ child speaks adoringly to a Christmas tree, while Chris Green’s adult reexamines the tree-chopping tradition. Sandra Castillo, Toi Derricotte, and Mary Jo Salter paint vignettes of Christmastime rituals of parents and children. Ange Mlinko and Devin Johnston offer less traditional December 25th activities—bathtub lobster cooking and California boat rides, respectively. Mike Chasar’s speaker receives a surprise gift from nature, and Norman Williams’ poem is an homage to artists who work without hope for material gain. After a selection of articles, and Yuletide broadsides and audio clips, we land on Poetry founder Harriet Monroe’s 1926 vision of Christmas as “a symbol, a recognition, a flower on the altar, a bow in passing.”

POEMS

 “Christmas, 1970” by Sandra M. Castillo

“Conches on Christmas” by Mike Chasar

“[little tree]” by E. E. Cummings

“Christmas Eve: My Mother Dressing” by Toi Derricotte

“Chicago and December” by W. S. Di Piero

“Where Are The Stars Pristine” by Alice Fulton

“Christmas Tree Lots” by Chris Green

“Christmas Night” by Conrad Hilberry

“The Golden Hinde” by Devin Johnston

“This is the Latest” by Ange Mlinko

“Advent” by Mary Jo Salter

“A Christmas Song” by Norman Williams

BROADSIDES

Download poems to hang on the fridge, wall, or tree.

“Picture of a Nativity” by Geoffrey Hill [PDF]

“Sonnet in the Shape of a Potted Christmas Tree” by George Starbuck [PDF]

AUDIO

“A Child’s Christmas in Georgia, 1953” by Wyatt Prunty

“Christmas Eve in Whitneyville” by Donald Hall

“Christmas Memories” by Ed Skoog and Wyatt Prunty

BLOG POSTS

“enormous snowstorms at the last minute” by Stephen Burt

“Journal, Day Five” by Patricia Smith

“Getting and spending we lay waste our powers” by A.E. Stallings

“The Owl” by A.E. Stallings

ARTICLES

“For Christmas” by Harriet Monroe