MINOH AWASIS - Phyllis Sinclair

Moostoos oyahkhanihk, ke pisimow,

ka ahpahsisit, minoh awasis

Akha koosak maka,

ke itapiwak

Kanah wapamatchik,

ee kee nipat

Moostooswak, ke twok, kookoos pay ee it

Moonah maka matoo, minoh awasis

Ki we sakihitin, ka nawapamin

Iskoo Isakasteki

Taki wechewin

Kisiwak wechewin, Ki nahtoom mitin

Manitou ki sakihin

Ee sak ee yan

Sasawey yiminan

Kah istaseyak

Ispimik ta wi ki yak

Kikik kakigey

SNOWFLAKES - Phyllis Sinclair

Shoppers fill the city streets, on the hunt for Christmas trees

Perfect lights and decorations to make their seasons bright

Bells and Santa’s line the lamp posts

Late night box stores wait to make most

Of midnight madness lighting specials

To make this Christmas shine

Everywhere the nights aglow with neon coloured gifts and bows

Kaleidoscopic symmetry twinkles in the dark

Up above the snow starts falling, crystal jewels around me calling

Light a place within my heart that neon just can’t spark

Little Snowflakes falling down, down, down

Filling up the streets of downtown

Illuminating window sills and sky lines like a crown

Snowflakes fill my mind with wonder

Turn my heart to melted butter

Nothing says its Christmas like Snowflakes

Frosty horse drawn carriage riders, carols played by handbell choirs

Merry yuletide celebration carries on around

All the pretty lights and sounds don’t let me know that day’s around like

The million moonlit fireflies floating to the ground

Little Snowflakes falling down, down, down

Filling up the streets of downtown

Illuminating window sills and sky lines like a crown

Snowflakes fill my mind with wonder

Turn my heart to melted butter

Nothing says its Christmas like Snowflakes

Electrifying syncopation, you begin my celebration

Christmas isn’t right til your around

Little Snowflakes falling down, down, down

Filling up the streets of downtown

Illuminating window sills and sky lines like a crown

Snowflakes fill my mind with wonder

Turn my heart to melted butter

Nothing says its Christmas like Snowflakes

Somehow it’s just not Christmas without snowflakes

MARY’S SONG FOR JOSEPH - Phyllis Sinclair

On the evening angel praised, didn’t know if I could take

All the pain I felt much longer

Though we thought we were prepared, We were young and I was so scared

Having you close by made me stronger

Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhh

Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhh

All the whispers, all the head shakes, Took more than one man should take

Still you kept me in your favour

You could have turned your heart to stone, Choose another for your own

You’re faith in me remained unwavered

Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhh

Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhhEb Gm

When I look back on that night, when we held our sacred child

Nothing else around us mattered

Didn’t have much of our own, in that town so far from our home

Wouldn’t change that night for any other

I don’t recall the moon so bright on that cold Judea night

Would walk those hills if I was able

But, I was feeling cold and worn, You lit a fire to keep us warm

You laid him in a make-shift cradle

Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhh

Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhh

Watching you in David’s town, the way you laid him gently down

No-one else could love us better

Didn’t have a lot back then, heartache found us now and again

I wouldn’t trade a step we travelled

Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhh

Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhh

EVERGREEN - Phyllis Sinclair

Hey, little Evergreen you look a lot like me

Standing assuredly off to one side

Filling up an empty spot in a busy parking lot

You’re not bought and I see why

Hey, little Evergreen if I’m right I’m sure you’ve seen

Hundreds of people walking right on by

Distracted by your frame its plain to me you’re not the same

I see a top-notch winner in disguise

Hey, little Evergreen people see things differently

How attraction stimulates I just don’t know

Inflexibility can miss an opportunity

To know the gift of Winter when it snows

What are the chances your sprawling branches

Open wide their arms to me

Curly top and spine say to me that I’m just fine

It’s alright to be me, Evergreen

Hey little Evergreen you and I can both agree

Christmas wrapping paper hides a gifts real price

Shiny wrap and bows don’t tell the value their below

We rarely know the treasure kept inside

What are the chances your sprawling branches

Open wide their arms to me

Curly top and spine say to me that I’m just fine

It’s alright to be me, Evergreen

Hey little Evergreen think I’ll take you home with me

Decorate you up tonight and make you shine

No other Christmas tree speaks the way you to me

You are the heart and soul of Christmas time

What are the chances your sprawling branches

Open wide their arms to me

Curly top and spine say to me that I’m just fine

It’s alright to be me, Evergreen

Hey little Evergreen

What do you say I pack you up and get us out of here

Something tells me this is going to be a real nice Christmas

WISHLIST - Phyllis Sinclair

It’s Christmas Eve, the world’s gone home

It’s quiet as a midnight mass, I’m sitting here alone with my Wishlist

And hope that my Wishlist comes true

Handel’s on the radio, a choir sings allelu

Benediction from a church in Rome for peace and brotherhood

In the flicker of beacons bent in holy commune

Purity, reverie, tranquility tonight

The only stirring now is the cantor of the moon

Inching through a sequinned sky like a virgin to her groom

And she holds on to faith that her dreams follow through

Like me with my Wishlist, we’re both a bit naive

We’re standing at an alter now we both want to believe

In words made to give and receive

Dignity, harmony, tranquility tonight

I look down at my Wishlist, I have had it now for years

Three petitions of my asking, they’re simple and clear

And I hold on to faith in morning light’s reveal

You ask what’s on my Wishlist, they are only a few

But, my request takes courage from folks like me and you

If we listen, we can make my Wishlist come true

No children cry, no mothers sigh, no bullets fly tonight

No children cry, no mothers sigh, no bullets fly tonight

A LESSON IN HARMONY - Franz Xaver Gruber

(Spoken Word)

Silent night, holy night, All is calm, all is bright

'Round yon virgin Mother and Child, Holy infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!. Shepherds quake at the sight!

Glories stream from heaven afar, Heavenly hosts sing Al-le-lu-ia!

Christ the Savior is born!, Christ the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night, Son of God, oh, love's pure light

Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace

Jesus, Lord at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord at Thy birth

HANDWRITTEN CHRISTMAS CARD - Phyllis Sinclair

Opened up your Christmas card

I sure appreciate the time you took to write me

Think about me, sit and write a thoughtful note inside

Nice to have you near in the form of a good old fashioned

Handwritten Christmas card

I can see you in the card shop

Thumbing through each one each one there just to

Find the right one, full of silly fun

Says so much to know you took the time

Nice to have you near in the form of a good old fashioned

Handwritten Christmas card

This delivery gets right to me

Calculated a action from the start

Strong emotion like the ocean pulls me to the place where you are

Your handwriting so revealing, so colloquial, so transparent

I can read you, I can see you,

Let’s me know the measure of your heart

Nice to have you near in the form of a good old fashioned

Handwritten Christmas card

Now I have you hear beside me though your miles and miles away

Your simple action, interaction

Leaves me feeling warm and gratified

Nice to have you near in the form of a good old fashioned

Handwritten Christmas card

Brings back memories like a summer breeze

Cinematic diaries come alive

Our devotion in slow motion

Playing out between each greeting line

Opened up your Christmas card

I sure appreciate the time you took to write me

Think about me, sit and write a thoughtful note inside

Nice to have you near in the form of a good old fashioned

Handwritten Christmas card

Good to have you near in the form of a good, old, fashioned

Hand-written Christmas card

CHRISTMAS DETOUR - Phyllis Sinclair

Laid down the cradle from the call on my work telephone

Mom said, its been a long time girl since you’ve been home

I’m buried deep in deadlines, its Friday night, I’m working late again

Mom’s gentle words keep ringing through my brain

She said, “we cut the perfect Christmas tree that Cheese the cat keeps

knocking down.”

She thinks he’s going blind in a few years, that cat won’t be around

She said, “girl you work far too hard”, I tell her that I don’t disagree

Momma always told it like she sees it, she sees right through me

She taught me how to work real hard, to not give up the things were getting rough

She said that I should pace myself the ones who stood knew when they’ve had enough

When I came unglued, all mixed up, in a rush for which way to go

She’d take me aside and say its okay to take things slow

She got my head unwound, feet back on the ground

Turned my wheels to find my way back home

Think I’ll quit for tonight, need a break from this merry-go-round

Just the thought of that silly cat with mom makes me laugh I see them now

Evening traffic’s all backed up turn off to the highway home’s ahead

I can’t forget her voice and the honest words my momma said

I know she’s right, my last time back was more than a year or so ago

Here it is near Christmas time there’s more to life than work and pay I know

I’ve come to the crossroads this time I know which way to go

Take a detour to the highway, I’m on my way back home

Got my head unwound, feet back on the ground

Turned my wheels to find my way back home

Got my head unwound, feet back on the ground

Turned my wheels to find my way back home

MERRY CHRISTMAS - Phyllis Sinclair

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas

Wishing you the good things Christmas brings

Time with family, gifts under the tree

I wish you peace and happy memories

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas

Wishing all your Christmas hopes come true

Friends at your table, laughs in full supply

Warmth of the season multiplied

But more than my hope for you this Christmas

I send to you my wants for you this year

I hope the man upstairs will grant my wishes

For gifts that I can’t buy, but offer here

May you stop to stand and watch the stars, be still as they are

Feel the wind’s renewal on your face

Deeply breathe the morning air, find beauty hidden where

You stand, no matter time or place

May you hear the song the Robin sings, note the colour of butterfly wings

Feel the heartbeat of the earth beneath your feet

My wish for you, you see, is to feel free to be

The person who means the world to me

Wishing you a very merry Christmas,

Wishing you a Happy New Year too

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas,

And hope my dreams for you will all come true

And hope my dreams for you will all come true