Toys pyramided under the tree,
each sealed in gaudy paper,
wait for the favorite son to wake
and clamber down the stairs
Christmas morning.

He will tear off the bows and wrapping
sailing it in all directions
to get to his newest prizes:
the heavily-armed action figure,
the shoot-em-up computer game,
the booming action video,
the paramilitary T-shirt,
all received with, perhaps,
a prefunctory thanks.

The bounty, restacked to impress,
remains beneath the blazing tree,
and obscured behind all these
is the Nativity on the floor,
all but forgotten,
commemorating only one Gift
from that other Christmas morning.

12/28/2002

Posted on 12/28/2002
Copyright © 2025 Bruce W Niedt