Christmas

Once,
the little girl awoke
to the smell of tangerines.
Her mother cried,
Look at the snow!
The snow!
They walked together
to the ends of the earth.
The snow was warm
and white as a desert.
The horses neighed
in the purpleness
of hills. Pungent air
sang to the family,
The mermaids are here!
Huge windows surrounded
the little girl and her mother.
The light beckoned
to swallow them,
and birds flew sleepily
around the sweetness
of metal. I said,
this is the world!
The world of the loved.
And all the gifts of the beloved
are inside of us.
Over the creek of diamonds,
a bridge soared in an arc.
The girl and her mother
traveled there,
and the smiles of snow
continued down.