Advent candles

Advent Candles

Š Keith Wallis

Prologue

Still some weeks off ‘til glory day, child and manger, God and hay.

Angels, shepherds, gifts and kings wait impatient in the wings.

And me and mine ?

What of us ?

Do we engage in all this fuss, or do we, as we ought to do use this time to prepare for You.

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The First Candle (The Candle of Prophecy/Hope)

Advent candle #1 In grey and rainy preparation clouded days preoccupy.

Trees are mourning their lost finery, birds flee or prepare for hard times.

Day follows day, treading weary paths, a joyless melancholic procession, boughs drip metronomic tears muddy blankets hide spring’s birthright.

Bones chilled, cheeks besieged by gust and gale, eyes become refugees daring only to peer from squinting grimaces.

Beauty hides, bereaved, crest-fallen.

From such dismal obsession the season promises Light for darkened hearts, merry dances for weary feet carolling into heraldic wonder.

Candle one: hope and prophecy stout sentries guarding hearts from fear’s incessant onslaught.

A small light in the abyss of darkness tilting at the windmill of reality, whistling in the wind.

A multitude of stars hide in nightly clouds jostling for position to proclaim the appointed time when their light is outshined.

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The Second Candle (The Candle of the Way)

Advent candle #2 The star begins its journey and eternity spills upon the lost.

A lesser light beacons the greater light and feeble footsteps find the way to eternity.

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The Third Candle (The Candle of Joy)

Advent candle #3 Heaven’s voice is ringing early its seasonal chorale cascading through the well shopped streets with the waterfall of glory.

And the tills sing out their victory as the bankrupt bleed on the battleground of greed.

Yet joy is to be found in shopping mall and marketplace when quiet voices with shepherds’ hearts respond to heaven’s greater tone.

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The Fourth Candle (The Candle of Peace)

Advent candle #4 The dove is loosed from eternity’s door bringing the olive branch warm with love.

Waters of darkness recede before the dove-light love-light peace.

So even now men of peace stride wars in alien wisdom, their pace of hope shines promise 6

The Fifth Candle (The Christ Candle)

Advent candle #5 And so the die is cast in form of child the God has come.

Earth cradles the King in poverty misplaced, misunderstood.

The sacrifice of confinement clothing for a while outside eternity the covenant signature.

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‘Advent candles‘ is included in ‘Advent Oddessy’ a Christmastide book by Keith Wallis published by Blurb.

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