Fair readers, all, please lend an ear
We’ve made it (barely) through this year
Bereft of Bowie, Albee, Prince
Let’s make an effort to evince
Times of yore suffused with gladness
Absent fancy tech-toy madness
But let’s forget the coal-black lumps
And all the baubles hawked by Trumps
Let’s leave behind the Twitter volley
And move instead to bells and holly
Polish the menorah slowly
Feel the power of the holy
Attend the wonders of Tracie Thoms
Of wranglers, stagehands, and all kids’ moms
Rockwell, Caprio, and Croiter
Move along, don’t dare to loiter
Long backstage with talking loudly
Make your exit slowly, proudly
Onward to the party merry
Hattie, Adam, front-guy Jerry
Peter’s such a friendly door-man
Just ask Anna (Maddie Corman)
Cannon, Markoff: enter laughing
Lift a glass, start Randy-Graffing
Pour a gin and make it iced, stiff
Don’t forget to clink with Wolfe, Liff
Find a nook and stoke the fire
Share some grog with D. M. Schreier
Shine the goblet and make it gleam
Hoist it fast skyward, dear Vadim
Oberholtzer: brio! panache!
Show some swank to Frank and then Josh
Dab bold glitter, try on glam rock
Boogie, Stephanie Janette Block
Christian Borle can move like Jagger
Wins awards for Bardic swagger
Andrew Rannells? Mormons, Georges
Our Miss Reaser: she is gorgeous
Load up tinsel, pile on glitz
Blaze a path for Uranowitz
Nog will surely well embolden
Hoover, Weiner, Sarah Holden
Sound alarums: dancers freaking!
Anthony and kids are geeking!
Gather round the twinkly bright star
(William Finn and James Lapine are.)
Rulers, thrones, and some seraphim
Play loud chords with M. Starobin
Feast your eyes on the less angelic
Deviled eggs, they’re no ‘60s relic
Prepped by Yaney, scarfed by Kinney
Guaranteed to make folks whinny
Wash them down with some Chardonnay
Fire up Rudolph: mush that sleigh!
Moving on to PSM Scott
Ladle cider, serve it up hot
Top it off with wine Venetian
Drain the bottle to completion
Chase it down with some Vivaldi
Strains to hearten Sher, Rinaldi
Master-casters Hickman and Swee
Join Anne, Ira, ‘neath the tall tree
Is that Santa? I hear knockings
Greenberg, Cabnet: Quick! Your stockings!
Cody, Jenny, Julias, Jess
Spruce up nice in festive dress
As do Kati, Neal, and Herr Brown
Mix in Paul and paint the whole town!
Julie Halston, remember when?
We went to see our close sick friend
Dressed as a nurse, circa ‘53
You cracked up Lenox Hill: peals of glee!
Such angels of mercy ‘round us move
Keeping all souls in Christmas groove
Teachers, doctors, lawyers, saints
Eager to answer all complaints
Drama, too, can bring a healing
Giving voice to what we’re feeling
Born of crisis, Falsettos can teach:
Kindness helps (I’ll here end my year-end speech).
André, Linda, I’m so grateful
In this year jam-packed with hateful
Cases of falsehood and derision
Spewing forth a gruesome vision
Gifts of gold and frankincense, myrrh
Can’t bring calm: Aleppos occur
Where to focus to ease our woe?
Hark, the Beaumont, and its next show
J.T.’s Oslo provides a chart
Two sides in a room, that’s a start
Meantime, let’s trill jolly lieder
Underneath the fir and cedar
I will now try to take my leave
To beat the traffic on Christmas Eve
Home, I’ll savor the Yuletide mirth
Ever-fragile is peace on earth.
Brendan Lemon is the editor of lemonwade.com.
