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Day 1 of 12 Days of Christmas: Partridge Meditation

On Partridges

What is a country without rabbits and partridges? They are among the most simple and indigenous animal products; ancient and venerable families known to antiquity as to modern times; of the very hue and substance of Nature, nearest allied to leaves and to the ground.— Henry David Thoreau

If the partridge didn’t call at the wrong moment, Neither the hunter nor the falcon would know of it. It follows from this point also, That everyone’s voice betrays him.— Rahman Baba

No clouds are in the morning sky,
The vapors hug the stream,
Who says that life and love can die
In all this northern gleam?
At every turn the maples burn,
The quail is whistling free,
The partridge whirs, and the frosted burs
Are dropping for you and me…
— Edmund Clarence Stedman (poem excerpt)

On Pear Trees

She was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto chant of the visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze when the inaudible voice of it all came to her. She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight — Zora Neale Hurston

Whatever you do, do it gently and unhurriedly, because virtue is not a pear to be eaten in one bite. — Seraphim of Sarov

A man watches his pear-tree day after day, impatient for the ripening of the fruit. Let him attempt to force the process, and he may spoil both fruit and tree. But let him patiently wait, and the ripe pear at length falls into his lap. — Abraham LincolnOh to be a pear tree – any tree in bloom! With kissing bees singing of the beginning of the world! — Zora Neale Hurston

Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but it is the way of foolishness. Help them instead to find the wonder and the marvel of an ordinary life. Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples and pears. Show them how to cry when pets and people die. Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand. And make the ordinary come alive for them. The extraordinary will take care of itself. — William Martin

SONGS about PARTRIDGES:

Sage Fright — Freddie Robinson Jr

I’m a-starting to
*pavo tremble this time of year
From all of the oven symbols rack-et
I hear I’m a seasoned Mestizo pheasant,
best strutting actress
in the whole Oaxaca alfalfa field

But I’m beginning to feel
a bite unpleasant,
putting on my best plumage dress
Nervously a-wait
the cleaver
applause build

Henpeck been the best partridge breeder,
top ingenue impresario
Now it’s curtain time
to have a successor,
exit thru the oven door
I see the buy-peddles
turning on the kitchen light

And platter shadows
is giving me bye sage fright
No more starlet
gobble time in the summer day breeze
End of peacock pantomime
under those chestnut trees

Sage fright is real grouse,
as grouse real can be
But, Ms. Guajolote is gon disorderly peck-y,
strut into the Usher house —
Go out in a blade of glory!

Get some carving satisfaction,
when my wishbone performance
get the Red Cross salute
Feast table
Heimlich m action,
calculate no glut survival chance

Best snood bow exit route
Go out in a blade of glory!
Be a theatrical proud grouse
As leftovers get cast from the pall
Festive house

Note from poet: This poem was inspired by the great poet, Paul Laurence Dunbar. From his poem, “Soliloquy of a Turkey.”
*Pavo is the Spanish word for “turkey.”

What are the 12 days of Christmas? (full article: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/a29212592/12-days-of-christmas-meaning-facts/)

The “12 Days of Christmas” referenced in the carol reference the 12 days following Christmas, also known as Twelvetide in Christianity. The period begins with the birth of Christ on December 25th and ends with the coming of the Three Wise Men on January 6th, also known as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. The weeks before Christmas are known as Advent …Is there a hidden meaning behind the “12 Days of Christmas” song?

There’s a theory floating around claiming that during a time when Christians were punished for worshiping openly, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” song was used to secretly pass on the ideology of Christianity. Per this theory, each gift on the list symbolizes a different aspect of the Christian faith:

  • The Partridge in the Pear Tree is Jesus Christ.
  • The 2 Turtle Doves are The Old and New Testaments.
  • The 3 French hens are Faith, Hope and Charity, the theological virtues.
  • The 4 Calling Birds are the four gospels and/or the four evangelists.
  • The 5 Golden Rings are the first five books of the Old Testament.
  • The 6 Geese A-laying are the six days of creation.
  • The 7 Swans A-swimming are the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments.
  • The 8 Maids A-milking are the eight beatitudes.
  • The 9 Ladies Dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit.
  • The 10 Lords A-leaping are the ten commandments.
  • The 11 Pipers Piping are the eleven faithful apostles.
  • The 12 Drummers Drumming are the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed.

But while it is true that the “12 days” reference the days between the birth of Christ and the coming of the Magi, Snopes breaks down the many historical and logistical errors in the “hidden meanings” theory,

Where do the “12 Days of Christmas” lyrics come from? (full article: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/a29212592/12-days-of-christmas-meaning-facts/)

Though some scholars believe that the song is French in origin, the first printed appearance of the song was in the English children’s book Mirth With-out Mischief. If you haven’t heard of it, that’s probably because it was published in 1780. …

In the original lyrics, the “four calling birds” were actually “four colly birds.” The term “colly” is old English slang for blackbirds. In other old versions of the song, the partridge we all know and love is replaced with a “very pretty peacock upon a pear tree.” There’s also a Scottish version that gifts “an Arabian baboon.” It wasn’t until 1909 that British composer Frederic Austin penned the version of the lyrics that we are all familiar with today.

Most historians believe that the Christmas carol started out as a “memory-and-forfeit” game in 1800s England. These types of games were played by British school children and the rules were simple: When it’s your turn, you repeat all the previously sung lyrics and add the next one. If you can’t remember a verse, you owe your opponent a “forfeit,” which was usually a kiss or a piece of candy.

Day 1 of 12 Days of Christmas: Partridge Meditation
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