Piled on the table
set to stuff into boxes
Yule Jambalaya
***
I went through the house like the Grinch on a mission
Pulled every gewgaw that hung in a row
Stripped every corner of tinsel and baubles
Untacked every inch of red, green, and gold
Then very nimbly, piled them neat on the table
Grinch-ish-ly humming, boo-hoo-hoo, I’m gonna miss ya
My heart shrunk a bit for my humble dangly doodahs
Reminiscent of Christmasses my child-heart remembers.
… Ah, but that’s not all, oh, no. That is not all…
Next week I’ll start untrimming the tree. (don’t judge)
Look at me, come visit me then.
I’ll cook us a paella, spicy like jambalaya. *wink*
***
Must be hormonal, or it could be age-related, but my chore today, put me
in a nostalgic mood. So I reasoned, why not try to give this post a little
pizzazz? And so I imitated the inimitable Dr. Seuss. And already I’m feeling
better.
I’m not getting any younger, and so on the occasion of the year of the water tiger,
my sign in the Chinese Zodiac, I hope to write more about the awe I find in ordinary
instances at this juncture of my life.
The issues our world faces today are far too significant for me to comprehend, with a
cacophony of contrary viewpoints and recriminations. They concern me and disquiet me too,
and you can count on me to add to the discourse when I have something to say.
Far be it from me to want to add anything by grand moralizing. For that, you’ll need to look
elsewhere. But I believe in adding to the collective positive account of the world, so I will be
doing that to help balance things out: for my children and you and your children and all
future generations.
Written for Colleen’s Word Craft Poetry, Tanka Tuesday Specific Form: Haiku.
You can say this one was inspired by the great Dr. Seuss. The book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, was part of my holiday cheer, as always.
Thanks for reading and I hope this one brought you a smile too. All the best, and I
wish you miracles.
- Day 26: NaPoWriMo 2024 Alliteration, Consonance, Assonance - April 26, 2024
- Reblog: “Snap-beans in a Wooden Bowl”(c) 2024 by Michael L. Utley - April 26, 2024
- Day 25: NaPoWriMo 2024–The “Proust Questionnaire” - April 25, 2024
I like what you’ve written: you honor the ordinary and you so it with fun and style 🙂
Thanks for thinking that and letting me know. I appreciate you. Be well. I wish you miracles. xo
Hi Selma, well I love your Haiku and your poem. Great reason to write it too. I also like your plans for your blog this year …💜💜
Your plans for your blog sound spot on, Selma. Love the Haiku and where you got your inspiration. You’ve turned the ordinary into something extra 💕🙂
Thanks so much for giving me your thoughts. I appreciate it so much. And yes, funny all the places inspiration can come from. We all live extra ordinary lives because life itself IS. xoxo. I bless you, dear friend.
Wonderful Selma! Very Grinchy :D. <3
Yes. Grinchy indeed. Thanks for stopping by. xoxoxo
I love how you jumbled this together, Selma! 🤗❤️
Yes, that day the muse was ON… and I believe it was pleased with me how I didn’t sit there for hours trying to edit the piece to perfection. haha. I’m so glad you enjoyed the jumble that resulted. I bless you. xoxo
Isn’t it great when she pays a visit? 😊❤️
Love the Haiku Selma, I could see the Grinch through it. 😁 Loved how you got inspired for this. ❤️
You could see the Grinch… hehe, it was me– hahaha! Thanks for coming around to see this one. I appreciate all the support you give me. I bless you. xo
I love this Grinch 😁 It is my great pleasure to read your words. 💖
Thank you so much, sending you lots of love and blessings as well. 🤗💖
Selma, this entire post and poetry was just pure fun! I love your sense of humor! <3
Aww, Colleen. Thanks. (( hey, I know what you said about thanking you on social. I agree about that: it tends to go on forever. When ppl CAN show appreciation even more simply by retweeting = sending that tweet out for a new audience to see. Because on TheTweeter, we Tweet and Retweet. Does the same apply here?)) I understand how busy you are. But I don’t want to be rude by not acknowledging your generous comment. I am so pleased you enjoyed this one. Thanks for the opportunity. You rock. Don’t forget to claim your miracles. xoxo
Selma, it’s been my experience that the post tweets are often not read, with no comments on the blog, just tweeted. If someone reads my post and shares it on social media that’s a compliment. Those tweets then require a thank you. Some days I spend two hours saying thank you to tweets. I quit saying thank you to “retweets.” It’s just too time consuming. I think comments on the blog should be enough. If our post is shared on social media it’s nice but not necessary. But that’s me! LOL! ❤️
Selma, I’ll toast to adding to the collective positive account in the world, the darkness has too much press and sway – let our words and deeds make a difference. ❤️ Your Yule Jambalaya is delightful, an exuberance of colour and festivities. I love your poem and can relate to becoming more nostaligic this time of year – especially since this was the first year my son was not home to help put up / take down the tree! Your decs are beautiful. Do you find some always sneak away and manage to avoid their relegation with the rest of the decs for a month or two until spotted in a secret corner of the room? 😀
Annika, thanks for joining me in that toast. Totally true that depressing news seeped darkness has too much press and sway. Glad too that you’ll join me to let our words and deeds make a difference in balancing the scales.
May I tell you more? The last time these decorations graced my walls (I make it a point to air them out at least once every summer, or else) was Christmas 2013, January 2014. See, in there I have doilies, crocheted boots & things, and hand-sewn treasures that my late mother made for me. She died in November 2014, around Thanksgiving, and I couldn’t get in the spirit to display them now that she was no longer around to boast about them with her. Except for the nativity– I took that out yearly: that’s the real meaning of the holiday. So, showing them off this year was a hurdle I needed to overcome. And I did, beautifully. I love that jambalaya of memories…
I know I always find something of this gorgeous season laying around… in that we are the same. haha.
Anyway, thanks for listening. I’m all set now. I appreciate you reading and commenting. Stay sweet. I wish you miracles.
Selma, it means a lot that you told me more, how this was the first showing of your precious Christmas ornaments etc in so many years. Such precious memories and I am sure you could hear in your head her boasts and gentle words as you put them out again this year. A milestone for you … much courage and heart. ❤️
The ordinary is awesome. I can’t wait to read your posts.
Thanks for the visit and the uplifting comment, dear lady. I appreciate it and am glad you see the awesomeness in ordinary as well. xoxo
I felt the humor scattered within the mundane. Well done, Selma! 🙂
Hey, Yvette, Thanks for reading, commenting, and appreciating. I bless you.
Love the haiku Selma. Beautiful written you in ordinary words. Love it’s ♥️ I wait for your ordinary to me.✍️🌷
Thanks my lovely friend. Glad you enjoyed. xo
Ok, I did it my love friend Selma,♥️!
That’s quite an array of celebration! I kept the lights on my (fake) fireplace for all the gloomy days left until spring. When I really feel spring in the air, I’ll put them away. I like to think they brighten the days of my neighbors whose windows look into mine as well. (K)
Oh how precious if you to do that. For you and the neighbor. Yes! Love it.
Spring is a promise that Winter has to keep.
We have that to look forward to. So cool. xoxo
Stay sweet. I appreciate the comment. More xoxo
This is a great post celebration post, Selma! Lots of work to get it all up and lots of work to pack it away! Love the snow photo. We are suppose to get some tomorrow!
Dwight
Thanks for reading and commenting. Enjoy your snow. Post pics xo
You are welcome!
Loving your style of pizzaz-zing the ordinary into something spicy and special! I too am uplifted. <3
Aww. So glad to know. 👏 stay up there, sweet Jaya. Closer to the stars 😃 bless you.
You have a good strategy. Most of my Christmas decorations are still up, because they are so pretty. I take them down a little at a time so as not to grieve their loss.
You do? I love that. Once mine lasted until the end of January to my embarrassment. 😂. They are all pretty indeed. Be well. Xoxo 🎄
I won’t be embarrassed unless the tree is still up on Valentines Day. Otherwise I feel more rebellious, Maybe there is some caring about what neighbors think because I took down the lights on the fence first and the lights around the door are next. I’m working my way in. 🙂
Yes. My lights outside were the first to go on day of the three kings. Left them on to light their way. 😃
All the best packing away slowly. XoXo
Thanks! Xoxo
Paella please!! A fun read!
Welcome. Yay. Paella for two it is!
Last sentence looks funny 😃 yule jambalaya mean what?
Hey, Jane. Jambalaya is a dish consisting of various meats & seafood & tons of veggies mixed with rice. In other words, you put everything you have to make it a rich dish.
An aside: The Carpenters have a song with the same name: Jambalaya— on The Bayou.
Anyway, Yule is another word for Christmas. And Jambalaya is the assortment of ornaments and things that made my festivities ‘rich’
Hope this explanation helps.
Be well. Thanks for reading.
Good explanation . I understood. Thank you for explaining me so nicely. xoxo
Beautiful haiku and such an enjoyable read.
So pleased you enjoyed, Jude. Thanks for the visit. xoxo