RITUAL (second tier decorations)

By Anthony Buccino

RITUAL
(second tier decorations)

By Anthony Buccino

In the cold attic

they wait.

The heat of summer

long gone,

the chill of December

wheezing through

eave vents,

we pull down

drop-stairs

and peer into

the darkness above.

Flip the light,

start shifting boxes

hand them down

to the second floor.

Sort house decorations

to the top of the stairs,

boxes of ornaments

and tree lights

into the spare room.

Boxes done,

light off, stairs up.

Begin the first floor boxes.

Sorting and primping.

The singing mouse goes on the TV.

The snowman collection to the mantel.

The Santa collectibles to the breakfront.

The mistletoe to the doorway,

and the wire mesh basket

to the finishing nail

on the back of the front door

to await Christmas cards

that will overflow.

The tree light box decorations

to the end of the sofa

next to the three-foot stuffed Santa.

Another Santa sits on the stairs

awaiting cover of darkness

to trip someone. (Usually me.)

And on and on it goes

for hours

until all the good decorations

are out

and the second tier decorations

are back in their boxes,

the boxes that go

up to the attic

to await the passing

of the holiday

when all the ornaments

will be together again

in the silent darkness

of our attic.

©  2010 by Anthony Buccino

Nutley, NJ, Books

Belleville, NJ, Books

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