Members and guests of the MSA Poets Potpourri Society gathered at Kariton House Wednesday night, November 23rd, for their annual Christmas potluck.
Brayden welcomed us to the table by reading a blessing from Thurlow, who is in hospital recovering from an illness. (Thurlow is 99 years old!)
Food there was aplenty!
Later Brayden presented Jaye Lowe with a plaque honoring her as a lifetime member of the MSA PPS.
He also presented Alvin with a more complete version of his lifetime membership plaque.
Thank you, Jaye and Alvin, for your contributions to MSA PPS!
Then it was time for our poetic Christmas treats.
We enjoyed Alvin, Murray and Paul’s original poems, Brayden, Erin, and Violet reading the poetry of others, Ruth-Ann’s German songs, Rita’s memories of Christmas in Mexico, Satwant’s first impressions of snow, Terry’s adventures with a bold walnut-toting squirrel, and Shelley’s shivery tale of going out to hunt for a tree with her little brother on a freezing cold afternoon in Fort St. John.
Poetic Christmas Treats
Group shots by Rita Carrington
More evening memories by Rita Carrington
We left with full stomachs and hearts.
A Christmas Blessing for the Poets
—from Thurlow GowanMay the good wishes and good will
of this coming Christmas
extend to all through this yuletide season
and many more to come.God’s blessings are not limited—they go on and on;
when God’s blessing is in you, it doesn’t stop …
May God’s blessing extend to and encompass
the well-being of all
who associate and connect through poetry.As we think of the ability we have as poets,
we realize it is a God-given gift
and it will not become irrelevant
regardless of how much we use it.It is a joyous time as we sit down to partake of the food—
there is joy in the tasting and eating.
There is another joy in the reverence of the Holy Spirit:
Christ was the Son of God
that is what the season is all about,
and when we sit and enjoy the Christmas meal,
we are bringing glory to His presence.© 2011 by Thurlow Gowan
Fraser Valley Poets Society 