"Elvis and Emily in Heaven," by Hans Ostrom, Lyrics, and Johnny & Rita (...

Two Short Poems by Gabriela Mistral, English translations

"Bread from the Fire," by Hans Ostrom, Lyrics, and Bertha Brady (vocals)

"Swing Your Jingle, and Jingle Your Jazz," Lyrics by Hans Ostrom. Vocal...

"In a Shocking Smooth Jazz Mood," by Hans Ostrom, Lyrics, and the Langst...

"Sugar Blues Again," by Hans Ostrom, Lyrics, and Weldon Keystone, Music

"Laura Lee's Spirit," by Hans Ostrom, Lyrics, and the Leighton Kilbride ...

Three Short Poems by Emily Dickinson

"Chew Your Words," by Hans Ostrom, Lyrics, and Von Inguall (Music)

"The Ghost of Laura Lee," by Hans Ostrom, Lyrics, and Lloyd Jacks, vocals

The Christmas Ornaments Convene

 A white angel, a black angel,

three black Santa Clauses. An angel

made of a toilet paper cylinder,

child's cardboard craft. Ornaments

made of beer-can aluminum,

glass ornaments from Aunt Nevada,

who loaded the mincemeat pie

with whiskey every year. A blue

sphere or two, survivors

from Christmases way-past

when Ma insisted on her blue tree

every year. A pink motorcycle,

a wooden elf who jumps

like a Cossack dancer

when you pull a string. A horse,

a cat, a crystal icicle. Red bird,

yellow bird, peacock. . . . This

is an annual reunion of ornaments,

who approve the minutes

from last year, chat while we're asleep,

stay cool with the LED lights

on an artificial tree;

who serve as metonyms

for clusters of nostalgia, loss,

and tattered joy. What about Jesus?

Well, he's there implicitly in

the eclectic hospitality.

hans ostrom 2023/2025

"A Cart to Cart Talk," by Hans Ostrom, Lyrics, and Hal W. Greene (Music)

"Some Special Days in December," by Hans Ostrom, Lyrics, and Claudio Dio...