by Maya Angelou
A message of peace and spirit that can be passed throughout the community through Advent season and beyond, Originally read at the 2005 White House Tree Lighting ceremony and published as a Christmas book, it celebrates the spirit of the season – a time to learn to look beyond complexion and see community – with a resonating call for hope, unity, and above all, peace.
This poem was largely inspired by the terrible natural disasters occurring throughout the world when Angelou was invited to read at the 2005 White House tree lighting. The opening lines rumble and roll almost menacingly to illustrate the climate of doubt and anxiety into which the spirit of Christmas arrives. Hope enters as a whisper and grows until it is louder than the explosion of bombs. The harsher aspects of the world face as people of all faiths and races join together in trust and brotherhood.
Activity: Materials needed are glass candle holders, small pieces of tissue paper, glue, white tapered candles. Glue the tissue paper pieces to the inside of the candle holders to represent stained glass. Each family will create two. Place a candle into each finished holder. Listen to the reading again and each time the word PEACE is mentioned, light the candle and then extinguish.