November 14
I am raking autumn
leaves when father
asks me to give him
my wish list for
Christmas
carefully
acknowledging each leaf in my pile
This Christmas I
want magic
like golden foliage
twirling
a twinkling cover of
brown earth
This Christmas I
want the magic
of opening a
present
and feeling like a
child
ripping off ribbons
and paper
to see whether
Father Christmas
has acknowledged
his letter
Yet I know,
if I don’t give a
list
another pair of
socks
will be added to
the pile
that I will rake
next autumn.
Copyright poem Petra Vergunst
