[1369] Christmas Eve

Guest poem sent in by Ajit Narayanan <ee98205@> as part of the
'Authors as Poets' theme

On the window panes the icy frost
Leaves feathered patterns, crissed and crossed
But in our house the Christmas tree
Is decorated festively
With tiny dots of colored light
That cozy up this winter night.
Christmas songs familiar, slow
Play softly on the radio.
Pops and hisses from the fire
Whistle with the bells and choir.
Trying now to fall asleep
On my back and dreaming deep
Tomorrow's what I'm waiting for,
But I can wait a little more.

 	-- Bill Watterson

I wish I could scan the full-page comic from which I lifted this poem, and
put it up somewhere for all Minstrels people to admire -- it is truly a work
of art, with the one big picture of Calvin cuddled up with Hobbes vibing
perfectly with this poem, printed in Ye Olde Christmas font. The whole page
is a work of inspiration. It is in his book 'Scientific Progress goes
Boink', and if you have this book, or can get hold of it, do look up this
poem.

Bill Watterson's comic accomplishments with Calvin and Hobbes rather
overshadow some of the fine writing that goes with the strip. His many poems
include the oh-so-classic verses that Hobbes makes Calvin say when he's
trying to clamber up to the tree-house; that gem of a poem 'Yukon Ho!' which
appears on the frontspiece of the book with the same name; and the poems
that Calvin often recites about Hobbes while he's taking a nap (including --
ye Gads -- an alliterative haiku! :) ). [and who can forget that all-time
classic, the "very sorry song"? - martin]

Information about Watterson's poems can be found here
http://home.pacbell.net/bbavetta/watterson.html
  (some poems, with some background)
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/7879/poem.htm
  (two of the longer poems)
http://www.alloftheabove.net/cahr/poems.htm
  (a much more comprehensive collection)

The last site is also a great source of C&H trivia, and has a biography of
Watterson as well

Ajit


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[this poem is archived, accessible and awaiting your comments at]
http://www.cs.rice.edu/~ssiyer/minstrels/poems/1368.html
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