Dear Friends,
I recently read an original holiday poem at the final Poetry Night of the year:
The Entangled Angel
“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
HEBREWS 13:2
Like a single tear balanced upon a lattice of lashes,
An angel had entangled himself in my holiday lights,
Breathing deeply with the sound of distant trumpets.
He had dropped his lance of light at the base of my fir tree.
The dog stared curiously, tilting her ear towards the earth,
Never having beheld anything so brilliantly alabaster.
Had the children been awake, I would have explained
That this is not what was meant by hospitality,
That angels of all colors and classes, from the seraphim to the cherubim,
are welcome in our neighborhood. Furthermore,
I would explain, not all angels present themselves thus.
Some disguise themselves in simple clothing,
Perhaps even baseball caps, or in the jerseys of opposing sports teams.
The unfamiliar gear and faces of these travelers
Make it more likely that they traffic in holy words
That may be whispered, that may be muffled beneath balaclavas,
That may be extended to us via the midnight whistles
Of late night passenger trains, their cargo sleeping, or wishing for sleep.
Each stranger is a gracious presence. Here, help me untangle him.
Join me in dividing my bread. Hand him up his lance, his dropped anklet.
Be grateful for the visitor, whether he bathes us in illumination,
Or arrives faded and weary after a long journey. Each deserves rest.
Gratitude may shine from his eyes, or be realized in his work,
The echoes of distant trumpets. As the holiday carols insist, prepare him room.
Allegra Silberstein thanked me for reading one of her favorites of my works. At 93, she has a better memory than most 20-somethings I know.
Happy holidays!
Dr. Andy
If you are in Davis tonight, please join us for the Pub Quiz at Sudwerk. Recruit a team, dress for a winter sunset when the temperature drops 15 degrees in an hour and a half, and join us at the beautiful outdoor patio where we have room for almost everyone. Even though it is more work for me, we always have more fun with the bigger crowds and more voices. As Saint Augustine allegedly said, “Good times and crazy friends make the best memories.”
In addition to topics raised above, tonight’s pub quiz will feature questions on Ebenezer Scrooge, company headquarters, leadership changes, Dungeons and Dragons, expositions, the birthdates of American Presidents, spin-offs, long titles, quirky Californians, lithium, capital cities, New England topics, countries that start with the letter I, Jello tenors named Hercules, second-tier billionaires, unusual words that start with the letter N, Elizabeth Warren, busy websites, allegedly holiday films, drummers and guitarists, obstacles at new boarding schools, defeats in Germany, classic novels, energy varieties, state legislatures, transcontinental countries, robots current events, books and authors, and Shakespeare.
Thanks to The Original Vincibles, Summer Brains, The Outside Agitators, Quizimodo, Gena Harper, and others who support the Pub Quiz on Patreon. I would love to add your name or that of your team to the list of supporters. I appreciate your backing this pub quiz project of mine!
Best,
Dr. Andy