A frozen moment in poetry, “Coeur D’alene Lake Christmas Eve ’98” by Harrison Lemke haunts us with night before ghosts: The lit up numbers on the microwave Say it’s still Christmas Eve for twenty minutes longer. Eerie pop.
I can only sense earnestness rom “Christmas Eve (Where Reindeer Dare) (Mommy Can I Go Out and Carol Tonight?)” a metal masher from Lamonta. When they cheer Can’t believe my luck Grandma sent me 20 bucks! i believe in the true meaning.
Welcome back to Angry Johnny and The Killbillies! “Twenty Years Ago This Christmas” is more cornpone folk strumming, but–this time–i think the cheater/leaver isn’t gunned down, cleaned up, and buried in the backyard. The sad protagonist, however, may not make it.
Cady Groves sees Papa around Christmas for 20 years behind bars. Their “Crying Game” includes too-soon demises, poverty, and apathy. It’s a pop song to wake us all out of this misery matrix, but it’s so pretty i’m lulled.
Wil E. Haze is BLUE ALERT rolling by with 20 nah rims and Christmas Trees and more… “O Chronic Tree” is smokin’ rap of moderate naughtiness.
Also way down home, comes the country slow-burn of “Christmas Like the Movies.” Richard Watson drawls about Santa, who was barely twenty when he began work in the factory. Mrs. Claus is at the Walmart. Rudolph still thinks he’s some big deal. The iconic image of Xmas feels a million miles away. Now i’m sad.