Twelfth Night Sonnet

Singing "The 12 Days of
Christmas" was always
part of my family's
celebration. Today is
the Twelfth Night, or
Epiphany, when liturgical
churches celebrate the
visitation of the kings
to the child Jesus.

When I was young, too young to fake a shy-
ness that was more a fiction than the truth,
we'd sing the song together and then I'd
belt out my line with all the boldness of my youth.
"Twelve Days" would have us going on awhile
and no one minded if the words became all jumbled
"Five golden rings!' - my line, quite loud - brought smiles
and then the rest would join in till we stumbled
to the pear tree's partridge that the lover brings.
The memory, it chastens me, reminding me that e'en mistakes
are better if with boldness, gusto, and a bit of noise one makes.





(c) Ellen Gillette, 2015