Christmas Parade

In the yarn shop’s window display, a nativity.

The baby, mother and father,

camel and sheep. Homemade, 

stuffed animals wearing sweaters. 

Baby wears blue booties. (It’s a boy!) 

Mother, red scarf. Lamb, Fair Isle cardigan.

At the Christmas parade, 

we stand in front of the shop. 

Hot chocolate in styrofoam cups,

popcorn in brown paper bags like

Grandma’s crocheted popcorn garland,

wooden cranberry beads, tangled. 

On trumpet, Drummer Boy.

High school marching band.

Cold fingertips, snare drum sticks.

Frosty breath on brass.

The clopping and harness bells.

Ribboned wagon. Clydesdales in snow.

On the sidewalk, broken candy canes.

Children with white mittens.

Chocolate stains. Sticky thumbs.

Letters to Santa, their Christmas stamps. 

Angel, manger, shepherds, and

donkeys straggly and weary.

The mayor’s wife buys three skeins of

red yarn. Late to city hall

tree lighting, she says,

But doesn’t this red look just like

holly berries and poinsettias, throated, 

just perfect for a new scarf.

Emily Bulicz-Arnelien