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| (Image by Paul Whiting) |
They'll Have A Blue Christmas Without You
(Or, "Homeless Folks Deserve A Merry Christmas Too!")
[A "Blue Christmas" song lyrical adaptation]
But they'll be doing all right, if you give of your light...
Then, they'll have a true, true, true, true Christmas!
-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., A Creative Writer)
"I maybe say too much about how life really is!"
They'll have a blue Christmas without you.
They'll be so blue, barely coping without you!
Your bright Christmas tree—so festively trimmed—
Won't feel the same, dear, if you're not helping them!
And when those cold snowflakes start falling,
That's when those winter shivers start calling!
You'll be doing all right, with your Christmas of white...
Though, they'll have a blue, blue, blue, blue Christmas!
Your bright Christmas tree—so festively trimmed—
Won't feel the same, dear, if you're not helping them!
And when those cold snowflakes start falling,
That's when those winter shivers start calling!
You'll be doing all right, with your Christmas of white...
Though, they'll have a blue, blue, blue, blue Christmas!
But they'll be doing all right, if you give of your light...
Then, they'll have a true, true, true, true Christmas!
-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., A Creative Writer)
"I maybe say too much about how life really is!"
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My Writing About Giving Alms To The Poor: I budget for "carrying cash" each month in my monthly budgets for any expenses that I may wish to pay for in cash. And I budget—specifically—to use some of my carrying cash to help homeless folks who are panhandling, or "spanging" (which is a term that is a blend of the word 'spare' plus the word 'change' from the phrase, "Do you have any spare change?" or the phrase, "Can you spare any change?") and that is how I give "alms to the poor." –Paul Whiting (written December 26th, 2015, revised September 24th, 2019, revised December 23rd, 2021, revised December 24th, 2021, revised December 25th, 2021, revised December 26th, 2021 and revised July 6th, 2022)
My Writing About Giving Alms To The Poor: I budget for "carrying cash" each month in my monthly budgets for any expenses that I may wish to pay for in cash. And I budget—specifically—to use some of my carrying cash to help homeless folks who are panhandling, or "spanging" (which is a term that is a blend of the word 'spare' plus the word 'change' from the phrase, "Do you have any spare change?" or the phrase, "Can you spare any change?") and that is how I give "alms to the poor." –Paul Whiting (written December 26th, 2015, revised September 24th, 2019, revised December 23rd, 2021, revised December 24th, 2021, revised December 25th, 2021, revised December 26th, 2021 and revised July 6th, 2022)
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My Writing Notes:
The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement: I rewrote the original Christmas song "Blue Christmas," as a lyrical-adaptation poem, in order to extol the virtues of helping the less fortunate, who are living on the streets—and who are in desperate need of "Alms for the Poor"—since they are homeless!
You see, I was homeless for ten days in October of 2009! And, for me, the toughest part about being homeless wasn't living outdoors, since I was basically "camping": it was the way that some people treated me, because I didn't have a place to live.
My Writing Notes:
The reason that I wrote this poem can be summed up with the following statement: I rewrote the original Christmas song "Blue Christmas," as a lyrical-adaptation poem, in order to extol the virtues of helping the less fortunate, who are living on the streets—and who are in desperate need of "Alms for the Poor"—since they are homeless!
You see, I was homeless for ten days in October of 2009! And, for me, the toughest part about being homeless wasn't living outdoors, since I was basically "camping": it was the way that some people treated me, because I didn't have a place to live.
However, I should clarify that it never stormed while I was homeless, nor did it ever reach freezing temperatures; plus, I had money available to buy whatever I needed (the reader should know that I am HIV-positive and that I have full-blown AIDS) due to the fact that I am on "SSDI," or Social Security Disability Insurance.
And so, I budget—specifically—to use some of my carrying cash to help homeless folks who are panhandling, or "spanging" (which is a term that is a blend of the word 'spare' plus the word 'change' from the phrase, "Do you have any spare change?" or the phrase, "Can you spare any change?") and that is how I give "alms to the poor."
Thus, I wrote this lyrical-adaptation poem from the original Christmas song (along with another lyrical-adaptation poem titled, "Good King All-Of-Us," which is published on this blog), as a way to encourage everyone—who has the ability and the desire—to please consider helping homeless folks in a way that feels right to you, just like I do throughout the year by offering those homeless folks help-out money when I see them on the street!
And so, I budget—specifically—to use some of my carrying cash to help homeless folks who are panhandling, or "spanging" (which is a term that is a blend of the word 'spare' plus the word 'change' from the phrase, "Do you have any spare change?" or the phrase, "Can you spare any change?") and that is how I give "alms to the poor."
Thus, I wrote this lyrical-adaptation poem from the original Christmas song (along with another lyrical-adaptation poem titled, "Good King All-Of-Us," which is published on this blog), as a way to encourage everyone—who has the ability and the desire—to please consider helping homeless folks in a way that feels right to you, just like I do throughout the year by offering those homeless folks help-out money when I see them on the street!
Just so you know, I revised this poem, as I often do with my writing! And I changed how this poem was written when I decided to include all homeless folks as the subject of the poem, instead of just one homeless male. So, I wanted to show you how this poem used to be written, before I revised it as above.
And it used to be written like this:
He'll Have A Blue Christmas Without You!
(Or, "Pretty Paper, Pretty Ribbons Of Blue")
[A "Blue Christmas/Pretty Paper" songs lyrical adaptation]
Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue.
Wrap your presents to your darling from you;
Pretty pencils to write "I love you!"
Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue.
Crowded street, busy feet hustle by him,
Christmas shoppers are just rushing by.
There he sits, all alone, on the sidewalk,
Hoping that you won't pass him by.
Should you stop? Better not, much too busy!
You're in a hurry; my how time does fly by.
In the distance the ringing of laughter;
And in the midst of the laughter he cries...
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...So, he'll have a blue Christmas without you.
He'll be so blue, barely coping without you!
Your Christmas tree, so beautifully trimmed,
Won't feel the same, if you're not helping him!
And when those cold snowflakes start falling,
That's when those cold shivers start calling!
You'll be doing all right, with your Christmas of white.
But he'll have a blue, blue, blue, blue Christmas!
You'll be doing all right, with your Christmas of white.
But he'll have a blue, blue, blue, blue Christmas...
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...Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue.
Wrap your presents to your darling from you;
Pretty pencils to write "I love you!"
Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue.
Crowded street, busy feet don't hustle by him,
Christmas shoppers aren't just rushing by.
There he sits, not-so-alone, on the sidewalk,
Knowing that you won't pass him by.
So you stop—though you know that you're busy!
You're in a hurry; but so is Santa when he flies.
From your hand the ringing of spare change;
And in the midst of the ringing he sighs...
Thus, I revised this poem to be written as it is above.
And this poem was only published on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog.
This poem was lyrically adapted in Portland, Oregon.
-Paulee
This poem was lyrically adapted in Portland, Oregon.
-Paulee
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"Blue Christmas (song)" from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia—which is funded primarily through donations from millions of individuals around the world, including this blogger (I make a totally affordable one-time donation if they are requesting donations when I am on their website):
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Christmas_(song)
This poem was written as a lyrical adaptation from the original Christmas songs, "Pretty Paper" and "Blue Christmas," on September 28th, 2021.
"Blue Christmas (song)" from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia—which is funded primarily through donations from millions of individuals around the world, including this blogger (I make a totally affordable one-time donation if they are requesting donations when I am on their website):
"'Blue Christmas' is a Christmas song written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson and most famously performed by Elvis Presley; it was first recorded by Doye O'Dell in 1948. It is a tale of unrequited love during the holidays and is a longstanding staple of Christmas music, especially in the country genre."
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Christmas_(song)
This poem was written as a lyrical adaptation from the original Christmas songs, "Pretty Paper" and "Blue Christmas," on September 28th, 2021.
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This "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" Post No. 056 was edited on July 29th, 2026.
This "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" Post No. 056 was edited on July 29th, 2026.
"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]
