my entries for the Construct Cup |
today I got a Christmas card with magic Christmas power— you see, I peeled the envelope and slipped back many hours and days, and years until I found myself inside the card, riding on a one horse sleigh into a church courtyard. the horse’s harness rang with bells, the sleigh was robin red, to keep me warm I had a fur confection on my head, the church’s windows gave a glow— ‘twas clearly candle light, and all the air was filled with snow. a perfect Christmas night. and snow lay even on the ground and roofs and trees—so sweetly. (that’s how I knew the scene was staged, snow never lies so neatly) near the church to welcome me, and Merry Christmas bringing, was a group of carolers, and all of them were singing. that’s when my eyes began to blur because they were my dead— my grandparents, my nephew, yes. I tumbled from the sled, and raced to greet them tenderly and sang with them all night— the magic of that Christmas card held us, ‘til dawn’s light. and then I blinked and in my hands the card was small again, the ink was faint—I couldn’t tell just who had sent it, then. and as I watched, it faded fast to leave an empty card. no picture of an open sleigh in a snowy yard. no candle sticks through windowpanes, no painted snow capped roof. nothing remained of this sweet gift that I could count as proof, but in my heart, the memory stands and yes, I still believe in magic, and in my dead who are loved eternally. line count: 48 Prompt ▼ |