Here's how to listen to Missouri Poet Laureate David Harrison read two Christmas stories
Springfield author and Missouri Poet Laureate David Harrison has made two of his Christmas stories more accessible to families near and far.
This week, Harrison uploaded videos of himself reading his two stories, "Mrs. Stanley's Christmas (originally printed as "The Perfect Christmas Star") and "The Christmas Sparrow" on YouTube. Both stories were written by Harrison for the News-Leader and ran in papers on Christmas day in 2002 and 2006, respectively.
Harrison said he decided to revive the two stories as a reminder that his role as poet laureate is about more than just writing and advocating for poetry; writing of all styles is important.
When asked to reflect on the stories he wrote 20-or-so years ago, Harrison said it was a challenge to come up with stories around a centralized theme.
"I almost never do that. By nature, my story ideas come to me whenever they come and about whatever they are," Harrison said. "In this case, it was a challenge because the newspaper wanted Christmas stories."
Harrison recalled writing out a list of different ideas, trying to flush out ones with promise and ended up with "Mrs. Stanley's Christmas" and "The Christmas Sparrow."
"Mrs. Stanley's Christmas," is a 1,700-word short story about both the disappointment and surprise a woman faces on Christmas Eve.
At the beginning of the story, Mrs. Stanley learns that her daughter, son-in-law and four-year-old grandson John won't be able to make it to her house for Christmas Eve dinner and presents because of inclement weather. Beside herself, Mrs. Stanley is shocked to find a seven-year-old Danny knocking on her door only a short while later. What follows is a heartwarming story about sharing the holidays with unexpected company.
If you'd prefer to read the story yourself, Harrison posted the full copy on his website, available at davidlharrison.wordpress.com.
Written four years later, "The Christmas Sparrow" is about the Peterson family, made up of a mother, father, six-year-old Samantha and nine-year-old Paul. This Christmas tale also features an unexpected Christmas surprise that asks the family to consider what is most important during the holidays.
In addition to Harrison's work, the News-Leader published original illustrations by Springfield artists Cory Leick in 2002 and Ross B. Young in 2006 to help bring the stories to life.
Harrison was named Missouri's seventh Poet Laureate, a role he will serve in through 2025, in July. He has a nearly six-decade career in writing children's books, poems and guided readers. His first book, "The Boy with a Drum" was released in 1969 and has sold more than 2 million copies.
In November, the News-Leader launched Poetry From Daily Life, a weekly column curated by Harrison, that features writing from poets across the country. The column is published every Sunday — in the print paper and on the News-Leader's website.
Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Revived from the archive, two Christmas stories read by David Harrison
