Christmas in July

“Christmas Crazy”

 

One Christmas, I got snagged

in the current of holiday shoppers,

pulled under and swallowed

by a swarm

scavenging the remains of

trendy trinkets, rooting through

bargain bins,

pecking and picking

over remnants of deals already closed out;

endless rolls of wrapping screamed

louder than the toddler trailing

behind her mother’s cart overflowing with

Christmas crazy—

 

It careened around a corner,

out of control,

rickety back-left wheel spinning absently,

and crashed,

triggering an avalanche of

expletives and baubles,

the gift-wrapped gaudiness

spilling across the not-too-recently

waxed tile—

 

The tin-speaker droned overhead;

the din of holiday havoc

paralyzed my senses:

individual samples of non-cheer now

in Aisle Two served in tiny white baking cups

for your convenience.

 

So I left—my cart

and my soul

empty—

for a more stable scene.

 

Deserting the hive behind

the automatic sliding glass doors,

I drove to an empty lot,

windows down,

gazed at the few simple lights

warming the blueblackness of the winter sky,

and exhaled private

exultations and alleluias—

a prayer to peace.

photo credit: Calwaen Liew on Unsplash

 So...I started scribbling the ideas for this poem about a year and a half ago, but a couple of weeks ago I felt the need to pull it out and either finish it or be finished with it. I'd love your feedback, but want to  remind you that I haven't poemed for a while.

Also, here is my traditional claim that I am going to start posting more content in the future. Believe it or don't, I'm still going to do it. Anyone want to hold me accountable?