Decorating The Tree

It's time to decorate the tree. It's
Time, to decorate the tree, in this house,
Where no one cares about decorating the tree
Except you. Bring the box down
From the attic. Start, the way
You've been taught. First the lights.
Check them carefully, replace the
Bulbs that need to be replaced,
Before you start winding the strings
Of light around and around the tree.
Next, the decorations. Gently take
The delicate, fragile baubles out of
The ancient boxes. Hang them,
One by one. Check the spacing carefully.
Make sure it's perfect. No two
The same colour together. Lengthen
Or shorten the string. Finally,
Saint Nicholas; the angel to his right;
The devil to his left. And then
The sweets. All done. Beautiful.
You're twelve years old. Alone.
You've done a Good Job. Why then,
These tears that well up in your eyes?
Why the lump, lodged in your chest,
That just won't go away?

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