Big Tent Poetry: Wordle

Christmas died for me
the day our tree toppled over.

Erin and I had lugged
the decorations from the basement

and were hard at work
turning our living room

into a magical fairyland.
I was holding Erin up

so she could place the angel
on the top when she leaned

too far, grabbed the branches
to steady herself, couldn't stop,

and all three of us landed in a heap
of broken ornaments and fir needles.

After making sure she was okay,
we started over again but it was

just a performance. My Christmas
spirit became slighter and slighter

and by the time Erin hung the last
ornament, it had vanished altogether.

I swept it up along with the debris
and dropped it into the trash.

NaPoWriMo #26: Rework an Old Line

You Hear Church Bells in the Distance

And the notes sparkle
like tinsel
in the Christmas air.

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
is playing carols.
See how the sharps

and flats float around
then settle
on the ground

like snowflakes.
I pick up a handful
and let them drift

down over me
like a waterfall
of song. Then

head to Walmart.
I go through the doors
and hear the canned

carols being played
and this time
the notes slap me

in the face. I get
my list out, crumple
it, and leave.