The stream of cars stutter on second by second
Transferring to minutes. Accumulating
Along roads and junctions through towns
Where Christmas lights now glow – red, yellow and green
Though bringing no release as they hang on still trees.
A woman sits in her car that stutters like the rest
In the gloom of nightfall leaving the city,
Crawling home to suburbia –
And it’s Christmas, nearly Christmas!
So much left to be done –
Transforming trolls and super-girls to buy,
A narky husband to keep sober and stand by
On Christmas day. In the freeze,
Her head drops plonk to the wheel
To beep it all about.
Just another scream sent out. There.
They move along like any arm of snails
Lodged tightly in a drain pipe;
Slug on they may, however that occurs,
It’s two days to Christmas.
Two days to Christmas…
She raises her head with those beautiful
Chestnut curls that run through each strand
And a tear begins to curdle from her
Dead vacant stare.
The Christmas lights are still on trees;
A mirror bleeds and sparkles.
Seán O Muiríosa
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/driving-home-with-christmas/
