Abundant, beauteous
cascading curls.
Costly combs.
Covetous couple's
Christmas dilemma:
exchanging finery?
Finances grim.
Giving gifts?
Generosity-guided
gentle hearts
heed humanity.
Heartfelt irony.
Indebtedness inestimable,
inexpressible joy.
Kismet.
Keeping locks?
(long, luxuriant,
magnificent mane)
No.
Only outwardly poor.
Presents priceless.
Quandary resolved -
sacrifice splendid.
Shorn tresses
tell us:
vanity vanquished.
Wisdom x-perienced.
X-ceptional Yuletide
zenith.
|
Author Notes
O Henry's Gift of the Magi has been my favorite Christmas story since I was a young child. Just in case you don't know it, this is the story of Della and Jim Young, impoverished newlyweds who long to give each other the perfect Christmas gift. His only prized possession, a family heirloom pocketwatch and hers, her waistlength hair.
Jim sells his watch to buy her expensive tortoise shell combs, and she sells her locks to buy him a watch fob. Upon discovering their "folly," they settle into each other's arms and laugh, basking in the love their sweet sacrifice proves. My poem is the story of Della Young.
I know that this year many of us are suffering financially. We are poets and storytellers, so this is my reminder that if you have no money for gifts, do not despair. Create gifts from your imagination, and they are bound to be cherished.
|
|