The Poem

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve 


The hiss of wheels

On rain drenched streets 

Twisting aimlessly around hills

Mist curling into haloes 

Around dim street lights

A sad drunk singing 

pulling up his collar 

against the wind

By the roadside

A nameless, toothless 

Crone with rheumy eyes waiting for buyers

Of her shrivelled oranges A lame dog howling

At the keening of the wind

nothing happens

On this Christmas Eve 

There are no intimations

From beyond