Tinsel Hope

I hid in a stocking that Christmas Eve party,

right by the mistletoe,

eyed kids lapping stripey candy pops

watched sparkling wine flow.

I made snowflakes from wasted wrapping sheets

cleaned sauce off her dirty stair.

little morsels of fruit and wine,

I wiped them fair and square.

While I tidied her delicious cutlery,

I watched her guests and Lucy prance,

and joined them in their merry cheer

and on her gifts, did a drunken dance.

I swung on the Xmas branches

and toyed with the fairy’s wand

but skipped on a disco electric ball

and thud! I fell, to the ground.

While Lucy and her guests sang

I lay in writhing pain,

“Christ the Savior… ! A RAT!! A RAT!” I heard,

I prayed I wouldn’t be slain.

I woke up to a bright Christmas morn

saw angel-white snowflakes fall,

dizzy from last night’s ordeal,

little could I even recall.

I wasn’t in my icy trashyard

or the dark, sinewy bin,

I felt my head on a scrunchy bed,

by a spinning wheel and a corn-filled tin!

So, I believe in this fest of togetherness,

in hymns of glorious oracles,

of forgivers and selfless saviours like Lucy 

and tinsel-wrapped divine miracles!


Rajashree Anand