Twisted tree
Katherine Holmes

Must have been some night
decking out the tree
outside the exhaust-stained brick
                   the stuffed teddy steady on
a limb across from the doll hopscotching
with nuthatches
                   and the model Trans-am
skidding the curves to the last-stitch twigs
                   in the streetlight
dank and winking between the tavern door
and townside
                   where you wish upon a window
wondering at a reindeer ring toss
in the twi-high
                   when the rules break
the sleigh nosedives
                   the snowbeard spilling
around the chimney crash of have-not-yet.

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