THE LAST CHRISTMAS

By John Thomas Tuft

“Sun lights up the seasons

Blue eyes light up the night”

Sang the man from somewhere north of here

“Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?

Can the child within my heart rise above?”

Sang the singer with the golden hair out of her worst fear.

As I sat and listened to the music, drinking whiskey

And the snow outside dampened all other sound

I wondered if this really was the last Christmas

And was there any reason left for me to stick around.

Farewell to the holiday of light and love and good cheer

Wondering if kings still find babies following stars to mangers

When I catch sight of Jesus in the background sipping beer

Nodding his head in time to the music, oblivious to all dangers,

With one hand resting easy on a pretty girl’s knee.

And the only shepherds in sight are gambling in the corner

As those we pity are asking angels if there’s any more for me?

But if anyone sees Mary, maybe they should warn her.

Santa’s upstairs pushing oxy,

Wrapped in pretty ribbons and bows

Leaving Rudolph as his proxy,

Where the elves are, nobody knows.

As I stand to leave, carolers press close against the windows

At the bar a half-decorated tree awaits its fabled fate

A giant snowman melts beside the walk-in freezer

While Joseph stares down the mirror, daring it to hate.

Outside I meet a group of young birds, half frozen in the snow

To cold to take to flight, and having nowhere else to go

I try to lead them to shelter, I stomp my feet and yell

But I’m lost in the mystery until I hear the first Christmas bell.

It drives me to my knees there upon the frozen ground

And within me a peaceful light grows, shining all around

I fly on magic to the door, invite them inside to hearth and fire

Because unless I become one of them, the meaning of Christmas will expire.