And there we
Sat aging gathering
Dust waiting for
Our turn me
In a humidor
And you on
A shelf sometimes
Picked up studied
But always placed
Back to wait
Neither of us
Knowing each other
Until one snowy
December night when
We met you
Silky slightly tart
Hinting of pepper
Easy on tongue
A highland malt
And me robust
Smoky with hints
Of oak and
Acorn a maduro
And finally meeting
On the sideboard
My ash gray
Your bottle half
Empty thoroughly enjoyed
I feel the
Same things when
Touching you that
I feel when
Writing you my
Finger my pen
Flow and dance
Bounce and pause
Sometimes stopping looking
For that right
Word to write
Or that ear
That is near
Suddenly exclaiming or
Discovering the rhyme
And the time
When both of
My passions become
One
And as I
Step slowly into
The cold swirling
Currents atop one
Slick stone then
Another until I
Am thigh high
In uncertainty I
Reach back reach
Forth back and
Forth whipping the
Line and landing
It delicately upon
The surface letting
It hang there
Like my tentative
Hello wondering if
You this you
A shimmering trout
In a river
Of revelers will
Take the fly
And rather than
Run away from
Me instead swim
Closer shoulder to
Shoulder eye to
Eye whispering hi
There fly fisherman
You’ve caught me
Fancy a drink
Ending one circle
Of life and
Beginning quite another
My dear boy
Remember this one
Thing that Christmas
Isn’t so much
About getting but
More about wishing
Wishing for things
Wishing for love
And Christmas kisses
Wishing for family
Wishing for snow
But even more
Wishing that this
Feeling on this
Day could be
Felt every day
Merry merry Christmas
My dear boy
An explosion of
Brightly colored paper
Rivers of ribbon
Waterfalling over the
Tables edge steaming
And cooling hot
Cocoa bobbing with
Gooey melting marshmallows
A cacophony of
Laughter echoing across
Beams and ugly
Sweaters aromas swirling
Like sirens freshly
Sprung from Pandora’s
Box tickle and
Taunt and tease
Pulling the hungry
And hopeful into
The kitchen hoping
To touch taste
And try spicy and
Sweet and savory
Delicacies as bourbon
And brandy and
Beer pops pleases
And pickles the
Familiar family frolickers
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 