The Twelve Days of Christmas 2011-12

Opening Anansi image © gillena cox 2011
MERRY CHRISTMAS and Welcome to the FOURTH YEAR'S celebration OF 'The 12 days of Christmas at Lunch Break' Thank you for celebrating with me

All the prose (ie. story of) 'Anansi and The Twelve Days of Christmas' © gillena cox 2011

DAY SEVEN DECEMBER 31ST 2011


...just about everyone knows, that Anansi was created on that day when wisdom was given to the animals.
I dont know if it was the first day, I dont know if it was the second day, I dont know if it was the third day, I dont know if it was the fourth day, I dont know if it was the fifth day, I dont know if it was the sixth day, I dont know if it was the seventh day; all i know is that Anansi, sometimes called 'Anansi the spider' was sometimes a man, and sometimes a spider; and as a spider he could spin webs; not the flimsy kind we know and call cobwebs. Oh no. Not he, he spun strong beautiful webs that were apprropriate to his needs in every situation.
"Anansi!" he heard is wife's voice as if in a far far distance; "you seem so preoccupied" Dont bother youself Mrs Anansi," he replied, " i'm alright, i'm just enjoying your beautiful singing." So she sang more loudly now "on the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to meeee...seven swans a-swimming...six geese a-laying... five gooold rings.........four colly birds...three french hens...two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear treeeeee"

--Meanwhile in Trinidad and Tobago as reported by Keith Simmonds

the scent of paint
blowing in the wind...
Christmas carols


--And in Germany as reported by Ralf

playing cards
the other ones
cheat


--And in Canada as reported by Lorraine Renaud

Back together
stretch lines
soften


Many religious observers ascribe the seven swans a-swimming as symbolic for Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit

more aboutThe 12 days of Christmas
Listen to the song here

Poems remain the copyright of the individual writers

To participate COMMENT or e-mail me


OTHER INTERESTING LINKS
Susan Macio - Trini Christmas Is The Best

The Twelve Days of Christmas 2011-12

Opening image © gillena cox 2011
MERRY CHRISTMAS and Welcome to the FOURTH YEAR'S celebration OF 'The 12 days of Christmas at Lunch Break' Thank you for celebrating with me

All the prose (ie. story of) 'Anansi and The Twelve Days of Christmas' © gillena cox 2011

DAY SIX DECEMBER 30TH 2011


..."so tired, hungry, dont think i could go much further, i miss my wife, i miss my children so very much ;"
(for Anansi was what we Trinis call a 'family man'); Anansi loved his family dearly and could not bear to be away from them for very long. All around him was dense lush greenery, he heard the sounds of strange birds and animals, all for the very first time. And he thought to himself
"if i could only reach the coastline i could start webbing and swing across the Atlantic Ocean"
Meanwhile, Mrs Anansi in the family car,continued singing;
"on the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to meeee...six geese a-laying... five gooold rings.........four colly birds...three french hens...two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear treeeeee" .

Meanwhile in the USA as reported by Dian Mayr

migrating geese
honking through the carols
Christmas morning


--And in Romania as reported by Cristina-Monica Moldoveanu

Christmas frost -
a blue star stranded
in the fir tree


--And in Germany as reported by Ralf Bröker

the last bottle
of this pack
she hides his key



--And in Trinidad and Tobago as reported by Keith Simmonds

a smiling vagrant
retrieves a Santa Claus cap
from an old dustbin

calypso music
competes with Christmas carols...
carnival coming



Many religious observers ascribe the six geese a-laying as symbolic for The six days of Creation

more aboutThe 12 days of Christmas
Listen to the song here
revisit The 2010/11 Celebration Finale here


Poems and images; remain the copyright of the individual contributors

To participate COMMENT or e-mail me


OTHER INTERESTING LINKS
Kids Track Santa On Google Earth
Relator - Christmas on Sesame Street

The Twelve Days of Christmas 2011-12

Opening image © gillena cox 2011

MERRY CHRISTMAS and Welcome to the FOURTH YEAR'S celebration OF 'The 12 days of Christmas at Lunch Break'

DAY FIVE DECEMBER 29TH 2011
all the prose (story of) 'Anansy and The Twelve Days of Christmas' - © gillena cox 2011

But it was all so real; the squaking of the macaws, the croaking of the green tree frogs. He Anansi; thirsty, tired, wanting to faint from the exhaustion of so much walking; he looked up to the sky with a pleading kind of stare, as if asking for something from someone
His train of thought was interrupted by the sweet voice of non other than Mrs Anansi. She had gotten to that part of the song; "on the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to meeee... five gooold rings.........four colly birds...three french hens...two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear treeeeee" .

--Meanwhile in Germany as reported by Ralf Bröker

out into the garden
a handfull
bird


--And in Trinidad and Tobago as reported by Keith Simmonds

a single mother
in frantic Christmas shopping
grabbing a toy gun

Many religious observers ascribe the five gold rings as symbolic for The Torah or Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament
more aboutThe 12 days of Christmas
Listen to the song here
revisit The 2010/11 Celebration Finale here


Poems and images; remain the copyright of the individual contributors

To participate COMMENT or e-mail me


OTHER INTERESTING LINKS
Kids Track Santa On Google Earth
Marcia Miranda - Gimme Love Fuh Xmas

The Twelve Days of Christmas 2011-12

image from Alex Serban, he says that in Romania, this is the Santa Flower - (Craciunita)

MERRY CHRISTMAS this is the FOURTH YEAR'S celebration OF 'The 12 days of Christmas at Lunch Break' Thank you for celebrating with me

All the prose (ie. story of) 'Anansi and The Twelve Days of Christmas' © gillena cox 2011

DAY FOUR DECEMBER 28TH 2011


Anansi showered, shaved, and got himself dressed for church; then went downstairs to meet Mrs Anansi and the children.They passed through the garden, to get to the garage. Anansi's eyes rested just for a split second on the vibrant red poinsettias and he sighed.
" What's wrong Anansi", his wife asked, and he replied "nothing, everything is alright; lets be on our way, to listen to the Word at church".
A few blackbirds were busy pecking on the pavement, and Mrs Anansi resumed her humming/singing "on the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to meeee...four colly birds...three french hens...two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear treeeeee" .

--Meanwhile in Romania as reported by Alex Serban

at my window
frost-work
and Santa flower



--Also in Romania as reported by Cristina-Monica Moldoveanu

Christmas tree -
the rest of the house
so empty...



--And in Germany as reported by Ralf

breakfast
the twins' parents
ask for white christmas



--And in Australia as reported by Comrade Harps

country town main street
cars pass towards the cemetery -
Christmas morning



And in the USA as reported by Dian Mayr

chur-r-rt chur-r-rt
the jollity of sparrows
in the winter sun



And in Canada as reported by Lorraine Renaud

Blackbird walks
next to snow
on dry grounds


Many religious observers ascribe the four calling (colly birds - blackbirds) as symbolic for The four Gospels

more about The 12 days of Christmas
Listen to the Carol here

Poems and images; remain the copyright of the individual contributors

To participate COMMENT or e-mail me

OTHER INTERESTING LINKS
Listen to Lennox Grey - Around The Christmas Tree
revisit The 2010/11 Celebration Finale here

The Twelve Days of Christmas 2011-12

Scarlet Macaw image from...
MERRY CHRISTMAS and Welcome to the FOURTH YEAR'S celebration OF 'The 12 days of Christmas at Lunch Break' Thank you for celebrating with me

All the prose (ie. story of) 'Anansi and The Twelve Days of Christmas' © gillena cox 2011


DAY THREE DECEMBER 27TH 2011

He jumped off his bed dancing wildly and shouting
"i'm at home, i'm at home";
then, he paused for a while, he scratched his spidery head,
"but how could this be? he said to himself ."
For the last thing Anansi remembered, he had packed his backpack and was headed back to Africa on a trek through the rainforests of Latin America, with the hope of webbing and swinging all the way across The Atlantic. Oh yes, Anansi the Spider man had decieded to follow his heart, fullfill his dream, reach for his star. Meanwhile downstairs the voice of Mrs Anansi loud and clear is filling the Anansi home
"On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to meeee...three french hens...two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear treeeeee" .

Meanwhile in Germany as reported by Ralf Bröker

lighting
each light
in every arm



--And in Tinidad and Tobago as reported by Keith Simmonds

strings of bright lights
all around the houses :
every heart throbbing



--And in Romania as reported by Cristina-Monica Moldoveanu

every Christmas
the old maid remembers
"The little match girl"



Meanwhile in Canada as reported by Lorraine Renaud

Silk
on my face
tickles

Many religious observers ascribe the Three French hens as symbolic for The three kings bearing gifts - Faith, Hope and Charity

more about The 12 days of Christmas
Listen to the Carol here
revisit The 2010/11 Celebration Finale here

Poems and images; remain the copyright of the individual contributors

To participate COMMENT or e-mail me


OTHER INTERESTING LINKS
Kids Track Santa On Google Earth
Scarlet Macaw
Listen to Machel Montano - Soca Santa

The Twelve Days of Christmas 2011-12

Opening image © gillena cox 2011

MERRY CHRISTMAS and Welcome to the FOURTH YEAR'S celebration OF 'The 12 days of Christmas at Lunch Break'

DAY TWO DECEMBER 26TH 2011
all the prose (story of) 'Anansy and The Twelve Days of Christmas' - © gillena cox 2011

Anansi opened his eyes and yawned loudly and stretched his spidery self, the first thing he understood, now that he was fully awake, was the voice of his wife Mrs Anansi, humming downstairs
"On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to meeee ...two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear treeeeee"

--Meanwhile in Serbia as reported by Tatjana Debeljacki

morning smells –
rosemary, sweet basil,
incense


--And in Germany as reported by Ralf Bröker

after the meal
my dog pulls me
in a new direction


--And in the USA as reported by Adelaide Shaw

day after Christmas
returning at the mall
all the good will


--And in the Trinidad and Tobago as reported by Keith Simmonds

morning after...
the Christmas tree twinkling
brighter and brighter

Santa Claus
comes to the village ...
children screaming


Many religious observers ascribe the Two Turtle Doves as symbolic for The Old and New Testaments

more about The 12 days of Christmas
Listen to the Carol here
revisit The 2010/11 Celebration Finale here

Poems and images; remain the copyright of the individual contributors


To participate COMMENT or e-mail me


OTHER INTERESTING LINKS
Kids Track Santa On Google Earth
Daisy Voisin - Alegria, Alegria

The Twelve Days of Christmas 2011-12

--Opening haiga by Konrad Kusmirak, Poland

MERRY CHRISTMAS and Welcome to the FOURTH YEAR'S celebration OF 'The 12 days of Christmas at Lunch Break'

DAY ONE DECEMBER 25TH 2011
All the prose (ie. story of) 'Anansi and The Twelve Days of Christmas' © gillena cox 2011

It was at cockcrow, when, i started recording this story whispered to me by my muse. Come along with me. Lets explore 'Anansi and The Twelve Days of Christmas' haibun style (ie. prose and haiku verses)


"Wake up! wake up Anansi" said the Mrs Anansi.
"Our children are downstairs ripping open presents and they haven' t even been to church, nor as yet had their breakfast; Wake up! wake up Anansi " she shook him again and again.
Then, she left the room, singing softly to herself the Christmas carol "On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to meeee ... a partridge in a pear treeeeee.

--Meanwhile in Germany as reported by Ralf Bröker

flickering candle
she only knows
this one song



--And in Serbia as reported by Tatjana Debeljacki

in the house of love
pleasantly and divine,
christmas eve

green Christmas tree
green blanket
and green eyes



--And in Romania as reported by Gheorghe Postelnicu




--And in the USA as reported by Adelaide Shaw

dusk coming on
on Christmas day
once more Silent Night



--And in Trinidad and Tobago as reported by Keith Simmonds

Christmas eve...
standing room only
in the cathedral

a massive turnout
at the midnight mass...
Yuletide solidarity



Many religious observers ascribe that the 'Partridge in a Pear Tree' gift is symbolic for Jesus

more about The 12 days of Christmas
Listen to the Carol here
revisit The 2010/11 Celebration Finale here

Poems and images; remain the copyright of the individual contributors


To participate COMMENT or e-mail me


OTHER INTERESTING LINKS
Kids Track Santa On Google Earth
Listen to Lennox Grey - Around The Christmas Tree

Series - Picture Post Cards 21

REMEMBER to stop by Lunch Break for 'Anansi and The Twelve days of Christmas' FOURTH year celebrating The 12 days of Christmas; starts tomorrow Dec 25 ends Jan 5th


revisit 2010/11 celebration finale here

Sunset

In The Dawn

Sunday Savvy 13

Its the Sunday before Christmas Day, and for us Catholics, The Fourth Sunday of Advent; this means Christmas is just 'around the corner' and we will soon plunge into The 'Merry Christmas' Scene conscious of the expression of God's Love in our life; because we have learnt from the holy Scriptures, that God so loved the world He gave us His only begotten Son that we can be saved

The fourth candle of five candles, a purple candle has been lit

The creche at church has been placed but the baby Jesus is absent because its not yet Christmas day according to our religious empathy of this miraculous event

But The Jesse Tree is laden

And the church decorations are becoming more and more ornate; our Christmas tree is not there yet

Center stage still are the Advent Wreath and Jesse Tree

Sunday smiles to all


Revisit Sunday Savvy 12

Why not share a little Sunday someting with me: COMMENT
or
email me


Remember the celebration of the FOURTH year of The 12 days of Christmas at Lunch Break starts on Christmas Day
Please join in
revisit 2010/11 celebration finale

much love
gillena

Renku Saturday 12

red poinsettia bracts
overwhelming alluring
--gillena cox 2011