A present from Greek twins...peace.

Simple stuff to while away some time.

The town's streets are now empty, silent,
as all retreat to suburban sanctuaries
to eat, drink and be merry,
though the latter a pretence in many households
as family communication ever more silenced,
1989 and the three double-ues a gag,
tongue tying all from the ages of young to death...

Once presents opened, quickly, greedily,
with no thought to the attached wishes,
"Merry xmas, love from..."
all retreat into their "me, my, mine" cocoons,
a safe place of selfish seclusion
there within blinded to the "no rest for the wicked" mother,
their head chef, chief bottle washer, skivvy,
as she prepares, cooks, presents,
without fuss or fanfare, without thanks,
a feast unmatched on any other day,
this dispatched by the seated gluttons,
in silence, barring the scraping of utensils on china
and wheezing, as arteries constrict and waistlines expand,
stomachs strangled by cowhide and buckles.

Before the King appears gluttonous amnesia kicks in,
weeks and weeks of planning, parties, overspending, forgotten
as food comas and alcohol induced slumber strike,
one by one the self absorbed offering themselves, freeely,
to hypnos, who in turn offers each to his twin,
he then in the coming days, weeks, months, years claims each as his own...

How simple Christmas day with only one mouth to feed,
a single chair, a few good memories and peaceful rest.

Author's Note

Each year on Xmas day the monarch of the UK has a speech of their own choice presented at 3pm on TV.

Reviews

[Stella Armour]

"How simple Christmas day with only one mouth to feed,
a single chair, a few good memories and peaceful rest."

That is my ideal Gee.
Son and little ones excitedly opening presents first thing , then daughter in law cooks us all a lovely meal , and i come home to my little safe haven ... gentle music and chill out .
Can't be bothered listening to the king, not my kind real person anyway , just another glamorous falsity.

[Gee]

Plenty of glamorous falsifying this ever more depressing world.
Thank you Stella.
Hope 2024 is a good year for you and yours

[Stella Armour]

You too Gee, we all need a lttle more love along the way and we all need to share it too .... that is my wish for the New Year.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

The idea at the end of this poem...that is me on Xmas day...totally.

Memories of when it used to mean something totally different.

Peace,
j.

[Gee]

Thanks for dropping in Jacob, hope all is well and you are enjoying the ever lost meaning that is Christmas :)

[Lorry]

And alas Gee, even I was swept up in the tinselated nausea, with two whole guests invited for the day.
And yeah, Christmas Dinner for one is far cheaper than keeping three people watered and fed all day, but we can save that for another gripe and stick to the point, which is so correctly as stated, about "Me, me, ME!" 😊
I had a great time btw, but did catch myself longingly gazing back to all those years of silence and empty chairs... Maybe next year I'll just go back to being a Grinch! 😊
Its always those missing that our thoughts soon fall to.
May 2024 bring more calm and peace than this year did.

[Gee]

Thanks Lorry. Yep , hope 2024 is a better year globally