Santa Didn’t Come

this year, it’s obvious,

because i wrapped one of his presents

but couldn’t even feel any spirit.

and the elves all quit

(brutal working conditions, up there),

and all the Mariah Carey in the world

can’t do much more than make her millions

(girlboss, nonetheless)

unless we just believe, in our hearts, that there’s always hope for Christmas(!)

which nobody did this time around.

and everyone i talked to agreed

that despite the lights and the candles,

Santa must have forgotten us

because every hall was decked

and the holly was boughed

and the popcorn was strung 

and the radio burst open with too many jingle bells

but that was all.

there was nothing else, 

and Christmas is the time of year where everything comes together

into something more than all of us

but we came together like

a ball of breadcrumbs.

(which is to say, not at all)

but who could blame him?

Mr. Claus is probably unvaccinated

(where do you find Pfizer in the North Pole?) 

and a mask wouldn’t fit over that beard,

but hey, maybe we’ll see you next year, Santa.

Dorothy Swanson Blaker