Comment from evilynne

Excellent

Great poem, reads well and rhymes nicely. It compares the north and south Christmas times and gives an insight into the Australian holidays and climate. We could use a little warmth right now. Best of luck in the contest! Merry Christmas! Evi

 Comment Written 22-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 22-Dec-2024

Thanks, Evi. You are right about the cold weather we are having.

Comment from SimianSavant

Excellent

This is really good and mostly well metered. Here are some suggestions for smoothing out some of the uneven points:

And I will never cease to wonder
What Christmas time is like Down Under. <= you have an extra syllable between the two lines. Try something like "And my mind is full of wonder/for your Christmas time Down Under" to slow more smoothly.

And it is here that I should mention
[That] they have beefed up his suspension <= get rid of THAT. It's messing with your meter.

Australians put on shorts and Tee's <= Tees is plural, not possessive, so ditch the apostrophe

Those kids will [all] be filled with wonder. <= ALL is messing with your meter - remove it

Hope this is helpful, and thanks for the read,

🦍

 Comment Written 21-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 22-Dec-2024

Thanks for the suggestions. I will make the changes.

Comment from Monica Chaddick

Exceptional

This was such a cute poem, and very well written. You rhymed it well, and the flow was easily readable. Santa looked quite comfortable in that picture - lol. You do have a few gremlins that attacked your poem (I've found using ~ instead of - works well). That Aussie weather sounds like Louisiana where I'm at about 98 percent of the time.

 Comment Written 21-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 21-Dec-2024

Thanks, Monica. We got a little snow today, but I don't know if it will still be here on Christmas day.

reply by Monica Chaddick on 21-Dec-2024

One of the things on my bucket list is to visit someplace with real snow, but I don't know if it will ever happen as I am on a fixed income.

Comment from cupa tea

Excellent

That's a cute poem. You would think Santa would look differently in all places in the world. Your poem suggests that. It was easy to follow and understand. Those the two key things I need when I read a poem...thanks for the pleasant read.

 Comment Written 21-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 21-Dec-2024

Thanks, Maxine. Keep it simple is what I say.

Comment from Sanku

Excellent

Yes! I have heard that that Very often Christmas day is spent on the beaches in Australia. someone told me that june 25th is celebrated as christmas since it is winter there Just a sentimental observation

 Comment Written 21-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 21-Dec-2024

Thanks for the review, Santha. That's a good way to have two Christmases each year.

Comment from Alexandra Trovato

Excellent

This is very creative and imaginative. I often wonder how holidays are celebrated in far away countries, too. The image adds to your presentation and I enjoyed your colorful descriptions. Best wishes, Alex

 Comment Written 21-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 21-Dec-2024

Thanks, Alex. I think Christmas is one of the few holidays that is celebrated in almost every country.

Comment from karenina

Excellent

This is a unique theme! an Australian Christmas sure would have major differences. While this calls for free form, you seem to have offered us a consistent rhyme pattern of sang throughout...

And your lines are uniformly right syllables with a definable meter in most...

Also, if you read it through, you will see some glitches in the site's editor messing with three or four of your lines...

You can go back and edit those out, frustrating as it can be...

I enjoyed this stanza, as here in New England it is snowing and very cold:

"While winter lingers, and I freeze,
Australians put on shorts and Tee's.
And here subzero temps do reach,
While Aussies sunbathe at the beach."

We'd have to move Christmas to July to enjoy that!

Thanks for sharing...

Merry Christmas!

Karenina

 Comment Written 20-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 21-Dec-2024

Thanks, Karenina. We had snow, then lost it. Now we are having a light snowfall.

reply by karenina on 22-Dec-2024

My pleasure!

reply by karenina on 22-Dec-2024

My pleasure!

Comment from Ulla

Excellent

Hi there, I loved the poem and I can't understand why you're wondering how Santa Clause will cope down under. But as he's omnipresent, I'm sure he will cope. Good luck in the contest.
Ps, you have so weird letter turning up throughout your poem. Ulla:)))

 Comment Written 20-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024

Thanks for the review, Ulla. I remember, when I was young, how surprised I was to find out that it was summer in the southern hemisphere when it was winter here.

Comment from Cecilia A Heiskary

Excellent

This is a wonderful poem about Christmas Down Under. I like the way it rhymes throughout. It is organized and flows smoothly.

Well done and good luck in the contest.

Cecilia

 Comment Written 20-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024

Thanks, Cecilia. It was confusing for me for quite a few years that the northern and southern hemispheres had opposite seasons. I still can't get over having Christmas in the summer.

reply by Cecilia A Heiskary on 21-Dec-2024

You're welcome. I bet that is crazy stuff having Christmas during the summer. When I was stationed in Hawaii it was pretty much the same weather wise.

Comment from Teri7

Excellent

This is a very cute and well written free form Christmas poem for the writing prompt. You used good comparisons to Australia and where you live. I am thankful I live in Tennessee. We don't get much snow where we live, but when we do I am so thankful to see it. Best wishes in the contest. Teri

 Comment Written 20-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 20-Dec-2024

Thanks for the review, Teri. I hope you made it through the big storms that we had awhile back. Still hoping for a white Christmas here in coastal Maine.