Now we have passed through the Holiday throng
And approach Christmas Day, let it be with a song,
For the spirit of joy and good will all around
Filters through to our hearts; and there may it abound.
May this be our fortune: Let not a tear
Dim the outlook for peace in the coming year.
And as we go forward, together we'll go
Finding happiness there--still a girl and her beau.
A verse like this is sure to be mottled
But the spirit thereof, though it should not be bottled,
May be expressed in a symbol and the very next line
Will show that to be just a bottle of wine.
Should you be curious to look at the label
You'd better not wait 'till we're all at the table
But quickly unpack it like an impetuous flapper,
Paying strict attention to the inside wrapper.
Elmer Riggins, 1937
The "inside wrapper" for the bottle of wine was a special sheet of
wrap carefully
fashioned from $10 bills.
International Association of Self-Proclaimed Artists and Writers offers a tranquil space for Creative Souls to share their work to foster global harmony through the arts. www.iaspaw.org
This quote, attributed to a Zen poet captures the essence of my artistic pursuits:
"A person who is a master in the art of living makes little distinction between their work and their play, their labour and their leisure, their mind and their body, their education and their recreation, their love and their religion. They hardly know which is which and simply pursue their vision of excellence and grace, whatever they do, leaving others to decide whether they are working or playing. To them they are always doing both."
IASPAW is now a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to better promote creative expression and understanding across cultures.
