The old ornaments are unboxed again
Once tangled lights are now without knot
Through the door comes the tree
At least twice as large
As looked while still on the lot
Back outside it goes for trunk surgery
Pine needles cover the floor
Its lost some of its height
But its girth is the same
When its squeezed back in the front door
The parched pine is stuck in its Christmas tree stand
It leans pretty hard to the right
After several attempts
It’s mostly straight so the
Trunk screws are twisted in tight
Against all odds, transformation unfolds
Its light now illumines the room
Looped strings of beads
And baubles are placed
Hiding gaps as big as the moon
Finally, it’s time to tinsel the tree
Requiring a great deal of flare
When long silver strands
Of flowing foil strips
Are artfully flung through the air
With flourishing sweeps and grandiose leaps
The kids have a wild tinseling spree
A lot ends up on the floor but
Much to Mom’s surprise,
Some of it lands on the tree
What began as a mere sale-priced specimen
Stands aglow beaming hope and light
It’s truly a thing of beauty –
If you tilt you head
And squint your left eye real tight
~ P. D. McMilian