December 26th

I squint now

at the blinking lights

Green and red

Discarded ribbon

in the gutter

A single day later

And the world

has changed

back.

They cannot

yank these things down fast enough.

These memories of hope

That cling like cobwebs

And spring cleaning

is so far off.

In a week

we shall drown the last memories

Of all which has not passed

In a debauchery

Pushing out tradition

For the favored new

Clean slate

Try again.

Youth is so much more coveted

then haggard traditions

Madison Avenue was right

To replace Jesus with Santa Claus

who understands we prefer presents

to forgiveness.

Despite having no resolutions

Save to leave Christmas

to the hucksters;

I fear next year

being snared once again

And I will be caught up in the tinsel

and dizzied by the bells

Tripping over my own

self-righteousness

into the mall

of consumption.

Twenty-four hours later

And the scent of cynicism rises

from the streets

And I pass in

through the revolving door

to exchange the unwanted

And though I find no counter

for compassion or mercy

These leather purses

are exceptionally fine.