• Submit Poetry
  • About Us
  • Members
  • Support SCP
Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Society of Classical Poets
  • Poems
    • Beauty
    • Culture
    • Satire
    • Art
    • Children’s Poetry
    • Covid-19
    • Ekphrastic
    • Epic
    • Epigrams and Proverbs
    • Found Poems
    • Human Rights in China
    • Humor
    • Music
    • Performing Arts
    • Riddles
    • Science
    • Song Lyrics
    • Terrorism
    • The Environment
    • The Raven
  • Poetry Forms
    • Acrostic
    • Alexandroid
    • Alliterative
    • Blank Verse
    • Chant Royal
    • Clerihew
    • Haiku
    • Limerick
    • Pantoum
    • Rhupunt
    • Rondeau Redoublé
    • Rondeau
    • Rondel
    • Rubaiyat
    • Sapphic Verse
    • Sestina
    • Shape Poems
    • Sonnet
    • Terza Rima
    • Triolet
    • Villanelle
  • Great Poets
    • Dante Alighieri
    • Edgar Allan Poe
    • Emily Dickinson
    • Geoffrey Chaucer
    • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
    • Homer
    • John Keats
    • John Milton
    • Robert Frost
    • William Blake
    • William Shakespeare
    • William Wordsworth
  • Love Poems
  • Contests
  • SCP Academy
    • Educational
    • Teaching Classical Poetry—A Guide for Educators
    • Poetry Forms
    • The SCP Journal
    • Books
No Result
View All Result
Society of Classical Poets
  • Poems
    • Beauty
    • Culture
    • Satire
    • Art
    • Children’s Poetry
    • Covid-19
    • Ekphrastic
    • Epic
    • Epigrams and Proverbs
    • Found Poems
    • Human Rights in China
    • Humor
    • Music
    • Performing Arts
    • Riddles
    • Science
    • Song Lyrics
    • Terrorism
    • The Environment
    • The Raven
  • Poetry Forms
    • Acrostic
    • Alexandroid
    • Alliterative
    • Blank Verse
    • Chant Royal
    • Clerihew
    • Haiku
    • Limerick
    • Pantoum
    • Rhupunt
    • Rondeau Redoublé
    • Rondeau
    • Rondel
    • Rubaiyat
    • Sapphic Verse
    • Sestina
    • Shape Poems
    • Sonnet
    • Terza Rima
    • Triolet
    • Villanelle
  • Great Poets
    • Dante Alighieri
    • Edgar Allan Poe
    • Emily Dickinson
    • Geoffrey Chaucer
    • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
    • Homer
    • John Keats
    • John Milton
    • Robert Frost
    • William Blake
    • William Shakespeare
    • William Wordsworth
  • Love Poems
  • Contests
  • SCP Academy
    • Educational
    • Teaching Classical Poetry—A Guide for Educators
    • Poetry Forms
    • The SCP Journal
    • Books
No Result
View All Result
Society of Classical Poets
No Result
View All Result
Home Poetry Beauty

‘The People That Walked in Darkness’ by Paul Erlandson

December 22, 2021
in Beauty, Culture, Poetry
A A
17

.

The People That Walked in Darkness

The Christmas lights are out tonight,
__Early and fierce and brave.
The lawns of all suburbia,
__A parti-colored nave.

Their swollen ranks caused me to think
__How changed the world should be
If they could crowd the ballot-box
__And vote rather than we!

RELATED

‘When Helen Keller Met Mark Twain’: A Poem by Brian Yapko

‘When Helen Keller Met Mark Twain’: A Poem by Brian Yapko

September 21, 2025
Five Rose Poems by Rainer Maria Rilke, Translated by Alan Orsborn

‘Roses Are Red’: A Poem by Evan Tester

September 10, 2025

We might have godly governors:
__Seated and clothed and sane;
And Herod cast from Washington,
__And Christendom again.

.

.

Paul Erlandson resides in Royal Oak Michigan, and has recently retired from an automotive engineering career with Ford Motor Company.  He has had poetry published in “Dome” (a publication of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London) and “The Slumbering Host”, a volume of poetry collected by Clinton Collister and Daniel Rattelle.

ShareTweetShare
The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary.
Read Our Comments Policy Here
Next Post
‘An Aussie Christmas’ and Other Poetry by David Watt

'The Tunnel to Australia' by Jeff Eardley

‘The North Pole’s on Lockdown’ by Susan Jarvis Bryant

'The North Pole's on Lockdown' by Susan Jarvis Bryant

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ by Brian Yapko

'It's a Wonderful Life' by Brian Yapko

Comments 17

  1. Margaret Coats says:
    4 years ago

    “A parti-colored nave” is delightful. If the swollen ranks of Christmas light bulbs were actual graces to which we actually correspond, your prophecy could be true. Keep shining, Paul!

    Reply
    • Paul Erlandson says:
      4 years ago

      Thank you, Margaret!!

      Reply
  2. Tamara Beryl Latham says:
    4 years ago

    What a beautifully penned rhyming poem that rings so true, regarding the politics of today. Your words cast light on the darkness surrounding us. Oh, when will it end? 🙂

    Reply
    • Paul Erlandson says:
      4 years ago

      Thank you very much, Tamara!

      Reply
  3. Sally Cook says:
    4 years ago

    Paul
    Simple and clear, a lovel thought !
    I agree with Margaret.

    Hope lots of readers stop by.

    Reply
    • Paul Erlandson says:
      4 years ago

      Thank you, Sally. I do try to be simple and clear. I appreciate your comment!

      Reply
  4. Tlhopho says:
    4 years ago

    Nice one Paul

    Reply
    • Paul Erlandson says:
      4 years ago

      Thanks!

      Reply
  5. Jeff Eardley says:
    4 years ago

    A lovely Christmas thought to ponder. Thank you Paul and hope you have a good one.

    Reply
    • Paul Erlandson says:
      4 years ago

      Same to you, Jeff!

      Reply
  6. Peter Hartley says:
    4 years ago

    Paul – a wonderful thought, pithy, terse and very well written. If only…

    Reply
    • Paul Erlandson says:
      4 years ago

      Thanks, very much, Peter!

      Reply
  7. C.B. Anderson says:
    4 years ago

    I don’t do this kind of thing anymore, but I’m not unhappy that others still choose to carry on with gratuitous ornamentation.

    Reply
    • Paul Erlandson says:
      4 years ago

      Thanks, C. B. — That’s how I feel, also. I’m very happy to gaze on the ornamentation of my neighbor’s houses.

      Reply
      • C.B. Anderson says:
        4 years ago

        Exactimundo. That’s how I feel about dogs. I like dogs, but I am quite happy to like my neighbors’ dogs and not have to keep one myself.

        Reply
  8. Susan Jarvis Bryant says:
    4 years ago

    Paul, I love this bright idea and think you’re onto something here… as long as the dead and dud ones can vote too. You’ve lit up my Chrimbo with this brilliant flash of poetic inspiration… great stuff!

    Reply
    • Paul Erlandson says:
      4 years ago

      Thank you so much, Susan!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Discussions

  • Garima Obrah on The Society of Classical Poets 2025 Haiku Competition
  • Prashant Rawal on The Society of Classical Poets 2025 Haiku Competition
  • Michael Vanyukov on ‘Dear Blabby’s Advice for the Clueless’: A Poem by Roy E. Peterson
  • Michael Vanyukov on ‘Absalom, Absalom’: A Poem by Brian Yapko
  • Sreeja Mohandas on The Society of Classical Poets 2025 Haiku Competition
  • Amie on The Society of Classical Poets 2025 Haiku Competition
  • Katherine Davies on The Society of Classical Poets 2025 Haiku Competition
  • Leslie Hendrickson-Baral on The Society of Classical Poets 2025 Haiku Competition
  • Paulette Calasibetta on ‘Absalom, Absalom’: A Poem by Brian Yapko
  • Joseph S. Salemi on ‘Absalom, Absalom’: A Poem by Brian Yapko
  • Prae Pathanasethpong on The Society of Classical Poets 2025 Haiku Competition
  • Venessa Lee-Estevez on The Society of Classical Poets 2025 Haiku Competition
Facebook Twitter Youtube

Archive

Categories

Quick Links

  • Submit Poetry
  • About Us
  • Become a Member
  • Members List
  • Support the Society
  • Advertisement Placement
  • Comments Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Welcome Back!

Sign In with Facebook
Sign In with Google
OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Sign Up with Facebook
Sign Up with Google
OR

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Poems
    • Beauty
    • Culture
    • Satire
    • Art
    • Children’s Poetry
    • Covid-19
    • Ekphrastic
    • Epic
    • Epigrams and Proverbs
    • Found Poems
    • Human Rights in China
    • Humor
    • Music
    • Performing Arts
    • Riddles
    • Science
    • Song Lyrics
    • Terrorism
    • The Environment
    • The Raven
  • Poetry Forms
    • Acrostic
    • Alexandroid
    • Alliterative
    • Blank Verse
    • Chant Royal
    • Clerihew
    • Haiku
    • Limerick
    • Pantoum
    • Rhupunt
    • Rondeau Redoublé
    • Rondeau
    • Rondel
    • Rubaiyat
    • Sapphic Verse
    • Sestina
    • Shape Poems
    • Sonnet
    • Terza Rima
    • Triolet
    • Villanelle
  • Great Poets
    • Dante Alighieri
    • Edgar Allan Poe
    • Emily Dickinson
    • Geoffrey Chaucer
    • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
    • Homer
    • John Keats
    • John Milton
    • Robert Frost
    • William Blake
    • William Shakespeare
    • William Wordsworth
  • Love Poems
  • Contests
  • SCP Academy
    • Educational
    • Teaching Classical Poetry—A Guide for Educators
    • Poetry Forms
    • The SCP Journal
    • Books

© 2025 SCP. WebDesign by CODEC Prime.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.