The Christmas Tree

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=95 BGCOLOR="#9999CC" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="047005f0ezuabz.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Living Language</B></FONT><B>     </B></div> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#CCCCE4" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Living Language"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chasing the Sun"><U>Chasing the Sun</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="poetry.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Past Midnight"><U>Past Midnight</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="In Anticipation of a Year Out"><U>In Anticipation of a Year Out</U></A></div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c8bf000000.gif" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The Christmas Tree</B></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=385 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04996963.gif"> <div> The Christmas Tree</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="666" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 544 ><NOBR><div> It</div> <div> was </div> <div> always</div> <div> Grandad's</div> <div> responsibility</div> <div> to choose the tree</div> <div> the right size for the window</div> <div> the right shape for the tinsel drapes</div> <div> a healthy tree whose needles would not fall</div> <div> to litter grandma's pristine parlour until twelfth night</div> <div> and this year SHE had been chosen to help in this so important task</div> <div> but there's so much to experience before they reach the stall at the furthest end </div> <div> and so many assaults on the senses - to intoxicate with seasonal smells of spit roasts</div> <div> fruit vendors' cries, enticing a purchase of apples, pears, clementines, brazil nuts in shells</div> <div> the brass band strikes up and collection tins struggle to keep time with the Herald Angels singing</div> <div> she skips at his side, bursting with anticipation, stringed mittens bouncing</div> <div> for there , amongst the pine forest fragrance</div> <div> stands the perfect</div> <div> Christmas</div> <div> <B>T</B></div> <div> <B>R</B></div> <div> <B>E</B></div> <div> <B>E</B></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>