CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK, 1984
We began by going to
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade—
the magnificent floating cartoons
down Central Park West
on a sunny, cold day.
Then we went to Macy’s store
to see Christmas land.
Trapped in a long maze
with little elves,
Santa took one look
at Denise and pulled
her to his lap—the lech—
(Ho Ho Ho).
We passed the tree
at Rockefeller Center.
A crowd was waiting for
Mr. T in a Santa Claus
suit to be greeted by
Mayor Koch on ice skates.
We went to the Nutcracker,
the New York City Ballet
and incredibly talented
children, a magical
fairyland, a concoction
so rich and sweet
our teeth hurt.
We went to the
Messiah sing-along
at Avery Fisher Hall
and sang
the “Hallelujah Chorus”
with 3,000 other
former high school choir
members on my birthday.
It was a little different
than the singalong
at the Episcopal Church
in Bowling Green.
We walked down
Fifth Avenue and
saw the tableaux
in Saks window,
jostled in the crowds
next to men in wrinkled
Santa suits ringing
silver bells silver bells
it’s Christmas time
da da da da.
Farmed dry Christmas trees
cost $50.00 here,
so we bought
a wreath instead,
wound it with tiny lights.
lit candles
celebrated our
happy apple love.
© Jane Piirto. All Rights Reserved.