[Gocamino] Poems

[Blaroli at aol.com]

Hello, fellow city-dwellers:
O.K., here are two more poems by Phyllis McGinley  (1905-1978):

LADY SELECTING HER CHRISTMAS CARDS

Fastidiously, with gloved and careful fingers,
    Through the marked samples she pursues her search.
Which shall it be:  the snowscape's wintry languors
    Complete with church,

An urban skyline, children sweetly pretty
    Sledding downhill, the chaste, ubiquitous wreath,
Schooner or candle or the simple Scottie
    With verse underneath?

Perhaps it might be better to emblazon
    With words alone the stiff, punctilious square.
(Oh, not Victorian, certainly. This season
    One meets it everywhere.)

She has a duty proper to the weather -
    A Birth she must announce, a rumor to spread,
Wherefore the very spheres once sang together
    And a star shone overhead.

Here are the Tidings which the shepherds panted
    One to another, kneeling by their flocks.
And they will bear her name (engraved, not printed)
    Twelve-fifty for the box.  

                              ---------------

 OFFICE PARTY

This holy night in open forum
    Miss McIntosh, who handles Files,
Has lost one shoe and her decorum.
    Stately, the frozen chairman smiles.

On Media, desperately vocal.
    Credit, though they have lost their hopes
Of edging toward an early Local,
    Finger their bonus envelopes.

The glassy boys, the bursting girls
    Of Copy, start a Conga clatter
To a swung carol. Limply curls
    The final sandwich on the platter.

Till hark! a herald Messenger
    (Room 414) lifts loudly up
His quavering tenor. Salesmen stir
    Libation for his Lily cup.

"Noel", he pipes, "Noel, Noel."
    Some wag beats tempo with a ruler
And the plump blonde from Personnel
    Collapses by the water cooler.

                   --