Holiday Heart

(Eve Gaal)

Like a string of Christmas lights

your life began with little cards and greetings.

Godparents, grandparents and neighbors

welcomed you into the world.

Holidays and birthdays,

added to the delicate string.

Propped on your nightstand

you enjoyed the funny sayings,

smiling characters—

Blinking, bursting with joy.

You try remembering the old cards you wish you saved.

Nostalgic and dog-eared,

some worked as bookmarks

or were shoved into over-stuffed drawers.

Tearstained sympathy cards filed away in haste-

and congratulatory ones—

made you beam--once--long ago.

Vague recollections of Valentine cards

pledging eternal love--

Stacks of rubber-banded Christmas,

and those silly retirement cards

that had you hollering with laughter.

The lights are dimmer now--

they flicker and tremble--

reflecting on your glasses.

Get Well it says in cheerful,

optimistic colors....

Another one for

the worn-out string of fancy stationery—

your garland of a lifetime--

tied, knotted and hanging around

an ailing happy heart.