Holding Onto Something That Has Already Let Go
she picks up an ornament
feels for its weightlessness
assuring that its light enough to hang on the tree
examines its design
certifying it as beautiful enough to represent the holiday
she hates these days
the ones where it seems that everyone is happy
she feels left out
no one is as empty as her
shes the only hollow ornament
too naive to realize that all of the ornaments are hollow
they have to be
otherwise they wouldn’t stay up on the tree, they would all fall down
no one wants an ornament that can’t stay up
pretty and empty
sad little shows of false joy
hanging upon a tree that will soon disappear
but she watches them
hopes that she can learn to imitate them
so that she too could be happy
she never learns
none of them learn
but they all pretend to
and yet none of them know this about one another
the perfect charade
the perfect Christmas
