Christmas
Many of the
pieces
listed here
were originally written for carol services.
For a good length, 'conventional' poem (2-4 minutes, and not requiring acting skills) consider Joseph
and the shepherds, Poem
for Christmas Eve
and Baby
crying. Longer
and less comfortable for listeners is Herod's
last request (if
read well you can hear a pin drop afterwards). Skin starts
at Christmas and follows Christ's life 'from the inside'. The
last poem in the Magi
sequence, The
epiphany, can be used as a single
longer reading.
More jokey pieces
that require the reader(s)
to play a particular role are Light
of the
world (with either
one or two 'actors') and the most recent A child is
born,
which ideally needs
Powerpoint or its equivalent for visual aid.
As well as
the shorter poems listed, any of The
last
straw can be used as short poems on their own - The word,
The
nativity and The
magi probably best.
Finally there are three sequences which form a narrative for a whole service or event:
The last straw comprises eight short poems acting as introductions to some of the usual carol service bible readings.
Prayers of hope are short prayers which follow the carol service readings.
The four longer poems of Magi provide a contemporary interpretation of the story for any number of voices.
longer