The Ghosts of Christmas Past

t.is the first snow of the season
A magical f*****g time.
I drain a pack of Camels
As I parade the deserted streets
Humming forgotten Christmas Carols
From the days of Middle School band.
The snow falls just slow enough
To be beautiful
And when I squint
Each individual flake
Is almost decipherable.
I wish she would appear
From out of nowhere
Catch me in mid-song
And I could see the snow
In her dark hair.
She..d have a scarf on too
That..d be hot.

I..m driving back from work
On Christmas Eve.
I hear a song about shoes
And it damn near brings me to tears.
The heater..s broke
So my breath fogs up the windows
I pray for an accident.

How many times have I heard
That high school guitar riff?
A song written at church camp
Was my first introduction
To someone I once loved
And wish I..d never met.
The guys call me over,
And we puff cigars
Next to the big tree
On the quad.

I go to bed at night
And feel a warm tingly feeling
Because Santa..s on his way.
The half drank glass of milk
And note left in my mom..s handwriting
Next to the cookie crumbs
Makes me believe
At least for another year.

I don..t know what time it is
As I keep putting away
Rum and Cokes.
The old people keep talking
So I keep drinking.
I have a hangover
The next morning,
But some lame cartoon special
I..ve never seen before
Makes me feel better.

It..s the 16th
So I go shopping.
It takes all day,
But I find Beauty and the Beast.
The Bolivian comes over
And we watch it on my computer
Because the DVD player
Crapped out on me.
We choke down cold slices of pizza.
After the movie
We ask were we go from here;
I go outside to smoke.

Let..s go to Waffle House.
I have some pie and coffee
A girl I think I went to high school with
Serves me.
There..s three of us,
But we are far from the wise.
My cigarette burns up with the year
I look out the window
There..s no snow.