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Community Corner

Last Christmas and Now

Here's a poem for Patch by Douglasville's Poet Laurette Alice Shapiro.

Here's a poem for Patch by Poet Laurette Alice Shapiro.

On flurry-dusted, icy Georgia back-roads
a neighbor placed his child
inside a large-sized plastic bin
tied it with heavy cord
to the bumper of his dark blue pick-up
dragged her to the corner
back again, and again.
From my window I could
almost hear her laughter
see the joy in his broad grin.

Years ago and far north
we had sleds of wood
with iron blades
and snowbound hills.
Prone and head first
we traveled down the slope
that led directly to
a busy highway
oblivious to the danger
by both sledders and speeding traffic.

This year I didn’t buy
a Christmas tree
but snatched some
fallen branches
off the hard, dry clay
hung plastic light-up icicles
on their scraggly limbs
smiled at my creative work
and said, my paper ornaments
are better than having none!

The Bradford Pear turned red
then bare.
I know Spring will bring its
white beauty back
and I recall a white on white
painting I saw
in a gallery once
that made me wonder at
so many contradictions.
But

think of it!—
the white moon descends
at night.
Each morning
our eyes open
like children
at Christmas
to the white sun
and to the gift
of morning.

© Alice Shapiro 2011

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