silent night

by Chris Capie

oh silent night
oh loud fucking smashing crashing thunderous night of silence
come now
fast and furious
and leave something in your trail
a thousand snowflakes falling fast to freeze the summer

and I'm curious 
are you beckoned by some secret call?
or is your arrival preceded by your own free will
it is of little consequence?

this time I ask you to please leave something sweet
I implore you to ignore your spiteful resentment of all things young and springlike
and deliver some sort of hope this winter
no more crushing confusion
and mistakes mistook for progress

I ask you to step aside for one season
and let the air cool itself as it draws across the empty boughs of the birch and oak
let it feel the lonesome space around the branches
and in response it will pull all of its moisture together to bleach the bone of this earth
it will go through the throws and tantrums
storms and winds to change the landscape
it doesn't need you

also please do not drive away the birds of summer 
simply let them leave on their own accord
when the air feels it is time for an empty sky it will pressure its priests to move on
they don't need your crushing force

let the wheels of this earth slowly come to a halt at the right time
don't force them to turn at your command
what is natural is natural 
and what will happen will happen
I beg you to please step aside this season

be confident in autumn to set up what you so vigorously enforce
just nap for awhile
go with the bear and come back in spring
or better yet go with a brood of cicada and come back in a few years
we can keep up the work in your name
you will emerge with a better reputation and a rested mind

maybe you will take a different stance
maybe you will feel less obliged to follow this tradition
maybe you will find that inside of you lay an invincible summer