“Christmas Eve” is a meditation on stillness, listening, and the quiet birth of peace. Moving between the distant and the intimate, the poem gathers celestial light, breath, and memory into a shared human moment. Stars remain far away, yet their presence finds its way inward; holiness does not arrive as spectacle, but appears gently, born in the dust of ordinary life.
The poem unfolds through the hope in the heart, where quiet moments, shared presence, and the gentle unfolding of time allow a sense of peace to arise.
Christmas Eve
By Cathy Xinman
The stars are distant,
yet I feel them deep within my eyes.
The moonlight is tender.
I invite it to nestle in my arms,
just as I feel the stillness between heaven and earth.
I remember the wind listening,
our longing also listening.
I remember angels seeking—
a call like wine,
a holy radiance
born in the dust,
like this night:
within all darkness,
peace is growing.
When we speak of this night,
the cold feels distant.
I remember that lucid calm,
shining on you and shining on me,
like a gift of gold,
like love—a resin of frankincense—
congealing in the sacred air.
I remember what flowed,
what was proclaimed,
like a hymn born within life.
I remember this night,
like a beautiful blessing:
within all darkness,
peace is growing.
Cathy Xinman writes poetry in English and Chinese. Find her English-language collection, Where You Love Yourself, on Amazon. You can also hear her poetry on her TikTok page. Learn more about the communities that make up Canada on the Toronto Spark website. The Toronto Spark is on Bluesky @torontospark.bsky.social.
