Tinsel

A tree a tree until it be

resting 'pon a stand

with wrap below the leaning branch

beneath the towered bands

A train surrounds its sturdy base

with smoke and whistles blown

While Christmas tunes flow from it's side

and sings out merry tones

String the lights with twinkling bulbs

one knows that they come first

Patterns weave throughout the tree

hide spots which are the worst

Conceal the pickle and cage filled quests

and set the church with steeple

avoid the sap, enjoy the scent

of spruce laced prickly needles

Nostalgic one stand poised to take

a trinket in your hand

the ornaments from days gone by

both rich and not so grand

Porcelain and china glass

of places far beyon'

Popsicle sticks with child pics

in glued stitched colored yarn

Pics of mom and dad and son

and daughter set in frames

Of course there's grandma grandpa

lest tree not be the same

A tribute to our country next

army, navy, marines

air force and even coast guard

now dangle from a string

Then One by one the colored balls

are set upon the tree

First red, then blue and Christmas green

in gold ones faces seen

Then strands of popcorn needles' laced

thread with a purple string

with colored beads and golden chains

and silver bells that ring

Finally the tinsel comes

one strand set at a time

should never one dress this in clumps

for that would be a crime

One by one the strands are placed

with care upon the tree

a glimmer here a sparkle there

brilliance beyond decree

One final touch the candy canes

with hooks caressing branches

temptation to remove the sweets

where children take their chances

Not to be unleft undone

the star on crescent top

the message cast for reason why

the tree's important prop

And lest the tree remain to stay

the fallen needles be

Reminders of the fleeing life

twas once within the tree

And soon the ornaments removed

in boxes havens' rest

to wait upon another tree

twill be the next year's quest

And lest the tree make quite the mess

without the house it goes

to rest with others cast out too

the carcass by the road

Alas the tree now rests beside

the curb beyond the street

with tinsel strands within it's branch

those left for all to see

And thus with us as Christmas trees

our ornaments are placed

with strands and strings of glimmer lights

our lives in rapid pace

And as we age we come to know

the tinsel strand by strand

the shinny ones and not so sweet

the memories quite grand

And soon we too shall be removed

from houses, fields and lands

and there in tombstone graveyard

we'll make our final stand

And though we too shall be removed

the tinsel on our tree

twill be remembered strands we hung

tis all that others see

So tinsel add and tinsel make

as much as may be strung

for tinsel be the memories

for when our life be done