A-Poem-a-Day Until Christmas...
HOLIDAY HOMECOMING
She smiled as she dusted
the ceramic crèche
on the old oak credenza,
sang as she swept the kitchen floor,
even Lysoled the bathroom bowl
with effervescence.
Humming a Yuletide carol, the woman
rolled pastry into a thin rectangle
and cut cookies into shapes
of stars and angels and lambs.
Spontaneous
praise proceeded from her lips
as she stuffed the twenty-pound
turkey,
trussed it tidily,
rubbed it with butter and sage
and lifted it into the moderate oven.
She dressed the table with china and
silver,
the slightly yellowed table linen
stored in her mother’s cedar chest,
and a silvery bowl of pink poinsettias
bought at the flower sale at church.
Her feet ached, but her eyes
sparkled.
This was among life’s highest joys:
Her adult children would soon be at
the door
bringing presents, hugs, and laughter
and she would get to serve them
Christmas dinner.
Maude Carolan
www.maudecarolanpych.net
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