A Christmas Story

Long ago, when he was just a boy,

There was a Christmas made special

By decoration and gift--

A Christmas which would remain

The standard against which

All future Christmases would be gauged.

Decoration: hung upon a short cedar tree

Were icicles and gum tree balls

Decorated, covered with chewing gum silver paper

Kept, collected since summer

Especially for this time.

Gift: a cardboard box of cardboard figures

Resting, attached to their cardboard home,

Now punched out gently, set free,

Free to assume their lives of honor and glory

Upon the linoleum floor.

In front of the fireplace fire,

Each clean, each so proud of its uniform and firearm,

Each equipped with a little cardboard pullout prop

Which would forever permit each soldier

To remain erect. 

Decoration and gift.

A childhood Christmas to be remembered.

--December 1, 2013