Erected green giants
gaudy with lights
shiny and new,
while trees newly bare,
lonely brown leaves
clinging,
hold on for dear life
as cold seeps in.
No more protection,
food, visible life.
Within me,
pain again
like a boil
rising, festering,
impossible to ignore,
needing release.
All around we bundle up,
bustling around,
conjuring superficial cheer,
a band-aid
for our heart wounds.
A simple evergreen
lit with candles
reminding us
of the light within.
Illuminating the darkness,
a slow balm for the pain.
Dimly lit
we face our nakedness
showing us
wounds to heal
to hold
to caress
to finally
set free.
