in the republic of wishes
some said I was traced
on thin tissue paper
with the christmas foil flecks intact
as if God had shredded gummy stars
and they stuck to my back
when I was drawn
but on breaks I was skating along
away from the throng
on the Christmas village pond
near the carolers
frozen there (down the aisle
and on a dare)-
their hands glued to the songbooks.
I didn't want to return
to clock in and have it be discerned
by the plastic needles I'd brushed by
and broken off
just where I'd been;
I could not countenance a lie.
so I proved useless bye and bye
in answering the customer's questions.
and the lines were backed up;
the managers faces red and green...
one day I disappeared
near the snow covered church
with the isinglass stained glass
too near the railroad tracks
but with a heavenly sheen.
or holed up by
the old bell tower
the fancifully festive gazebo
with the prelit Xmas tree
some said I was traced
on thin tissue paper
with the christmas foil flecks intact
as if God had shredded gummy stars
and they stuck to my back
when I was drawn
but on breaks I was skating along
away from the throng
on the Christmas village pond
near the carolers
frozen there (down the aisle
and on a dare)-
their hands glued to the songbooks.
I didn't want to return
to clock in and have it be discerned
by the plastic needles I'd brushed by
and broken off
just where I'd been;
I could not countenance a lie.
so I proved useless bye and bye
in answering the customer's questions.
and the lines were backed up;
the managers faces red and green...
one day I disappeared
near the snow covered church
with the isinglass stained glass
too near the railroad tracks
but with a heavenly sheen.
or holed up by
the old bell tower
the fancifully festive gazebo
with the prelit Xmas tree
the lamplight all for me
and in a crimson frock
of wool,
or so we'd thought.
when drooling over
the first shipments.
they're paging me everywhere now and
they won't stop though I've still minutes
on the clock before I'm due
"Mary, to the floor..."
I hear the loudspeaker roar:
my cue too early in the play
so I'll ignore them and take
up residence
behind the white picket fence
behind the stairs
of the seamstress' house
and in a crimson frock
of wool,
or so we'd thought.
when drooling over
the first shipments.
they're paging me everywhere now and
they won't stop though I've still minutes
on the clock before I'm due
"Mary, to the floor..."
I hear the loudspeaker roar:
my cue too early in the play
so I'll ignore them and take
up residence
behind the white picket fence
behind the stairs
of the seamstress' house
(she must make a mint)
next door to ye old candy shoppe
where the bon bons never melt
and I pretend to eat a lot
but I stay svelte
since it's always Christmas here
in suspended animation...
oh shopping nation
where I'm forgot
as if on vacation
forever on display
not needing any pay.
and thankful for the town
that can't sell Brachs
by the pound or by the box
(or anything else, come to think of it).
mary angela douglas 7 november 2017.
next door to ye old candy shoppe
where the bon bons never melt
and I pretend to eat a lot
but I stay svelte
since it's always Christmas here
in suspended animation...
oh shopping nation
where I'm forgot
as if on vacation
forever on display
not needing any pay.
and thankful for the town
that can't sell Brachs
by the pound or by the box
(or anything else, come to think of it).
mary angela douglas 7 november 2017.
