A Masonic Christmas Poem (Better Late Than Never)

DO YOU RECOGNIZE THE POEM BELOW?!?

In Dec 2020, I uploaded on the Square & Compass YouTube Channel a Masonic Christmas Poem. You can find the video here.

As I discussed in a previous story, Freemasonry & Poetry have a long and proud history. In Windsor, this history was most recently updated via international poet Maria Matuscak. Her 2017 poem “An Ode to the Freemasons Gathered Here Today” is an excellent example of a poem capturing the essence of Freemasonry! You can learn more about it here.

In 2020, I discovered another Masonic poem (Christmas themed) and included it below. All I know about the poem is it was researched by the Grand Lodge of Manitoba and a Wor. Bro. Weavers.

If anyone reading this recognizes the poem or knows the author, please let me know! You can find the link here!

A Masonic Christmas Poem

’Twas the night before Christmas at Freemason’s Hall

Where the Lodge was busy and the orders were tall;

Reams from Grand Lodge, a notice of motion,

A ballot or two and a pause for devotion

To brethren departed of the months gone before,

Plus a candidate who would soon walk the floor.

Our own Junior Warden, when facing the crunch Said

“Let’s call off and all go for Iunch”.

The Master replied, as Masters all do,

ln-toned in a voice reserved for the few

“Before we partake of fellowship there,

ls a summons to read and a ballot to clear —

Not to mention the candidate quaking with dread

At the stories of whether the goat has been fed”.

The Master, exhorting the brethren to work,

With a firm grip on the gavel, turned with a jerk

To the Secretary, putting shine to each lens,

Polishing both to a lustre, and reached for his pens.

“lt’s half past the hour’’, the Master then winced

At the stuff left to do, and remained unconvinced

That the evening would go as smoothly as hoped

Since he’d gone to the trouble of “feeding the goat’

“Though the ballot’s behind us and notice is gone,

Grand Lodge is finished, but the work still goes on.”

The lnner guard knew, as the Tyler did too,

That knock, knock, knock was the right thing to do.

Sidebenchers slept soundly and were only stirred

When a crack of the candidate’s knuckles were heard.

The slight groan that penetrated lips pursed

Appeared to the Deacon as just a light curse.

Onward they travel, the guide and the man,

Seeking truth and enlightenment wherever they can.

The secrets were given, the grip and the token

Obligations were offered, the words then were spoken.

Though never, not once, was one heard to gloat

As the Entered Apprentice never did meet the goat.

The evening now ended, the candidate clear,

Junior Warden entreats from the south us to hear.

The oath we looked forward to right from the start

“Happy to meet, and sorry to part”.

Christmas had come to the members that night

As men came together under the light

Giving freely of time as a labour of love

As they bent to the task of the Most High above.

To Stewards, to Deacons, the Tyler and Guard,

The Wardens, the Master, who all work so hard,

To Past Masters steady, sidebenchers too

To Treasurer, Chaplain, the D of C

who Help carry the Lodge, year in and year out

To your family extended, a warm Christmas time

Thank the G.A.O.T.U, we’ve run out of rhyme !