Nineteen Fifty-Two

‘In the city’
where music danced on the night lights
we dashed store to store
over snowbanks, between cars
through crowds of people
across the cobblestone streets
trying to avoid puddles of slush – don’t slip!
meet. regroup and divide.
meet again outside under the Shepard clock
closely guarding our Christmas secrets
only the constant tolling of Salvation Army bells
brought us back to earth

Later
piled in the back seat
under the blanket, waiting for the car to warm
head resting against the window
the slush, now ice, crunching
under the car’s weight as we made our way out of the city
surely, kitty was asleep
on  my        bed         by       now                w a  i   t    i    n          g

As our car
threaded the last rotary
I awoke to flames
leaping, clawing angrily
from every window into the sky
fire engines and people stood
in the snow, in the dark, in the cold
helpless. helpless.

Houses Could Not Burn Down Just Before Christmas

Nothing to be done
our car continued into the night