untitled by Tom Bogue

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND I COULDN’T SEE,
NOT A CREATURE WAS STIRRING, WELL BESIDES ME.

THE STOCKINGS WERE HUNG BY THE ELECTRIC FIREPLACE WITH A STAPLE GUN,
IN HOPES THAT BIG PRESENTS SOON WOULD BRING LOTS OF FUN.

MY TEDDY BEAR WAS TUCKED ALL SNUG IN HIS BED,
WITH LOTS OF SOFT STUFFING FILLED IN HIS HEAD,

AND I IN MY ELECTRIC BLANKET, AND MA IN HERS,
HAD JUST GONE TO BED AFTER PRAYING FOR SPURS.

WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD TONS OF CASH,
I SPRANG TO THE WINDOW IN ONE FOURTH A DASH,

THEN I LOOKED UP AND SAW IN DISMAY,
IT WASN’T CASH, BUT BELLS ON A SLEIGH.

THEN BACK TO MY BED SLOWLY I WALKED,
UNTIL SUDDENLY THE SLEIGH SORT OF TALKED.

AT FIRST IT WAS SOFT AND THEN IT WAS LOUD,
“MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND, OOF STUPID CLOUD”.

THEN ON THE ROOF I HEARD SEVERAL LOUD FEET,
LEADING TO THE CHIMNEY WITH STEPS VERY NEAT.

I RAN TO THE ELECTRIC FIREPLACE AND TURNED ON THE FLAME,
I THOUGHT IT WAS ROBBERS, WAS I TO BLAME?

THEN AS IF BY MAGIC MY FIRE WENT OUT,
A LITTLE BIT FRIGHTENED, I STARTED TO POUT,

WHEN OUT OF THE CHIMNEY THERE CAME NOT A SCARE,
BUT A VERY FAT FELLOW COVERED IN HAIR.

HE SMILED AT ME AND GAVE ME A GIFT,
THEN ALL THE STOCKINGS HE FILLED UP SWIFT.

THEN TO THE TREE HE RAN IN A FLASH,
HE PUT DOWN LOTS OF PRESENTS, ONE LOOKED LIKE HASH.

THEN BACK UP THE CHIMNEY SOMEHOW HE ROSE,
THEN QUIETLY I TOLD HIM “NEXT YEAR DON’T BRING CLOTHES”

THEN BACK ON THE ROOF I HEARD HIM WELL,
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL" AND I  REHEARD THE BELL.

A Palm - Tree

by Solomon Bitone

A single fir-tree, lonely,
on a northern mountain height,
sleeps in a white blanket,
draped in snow and ice.

His dreams are of a palm-tree,
who, far in eastern lands,
weeps, all alone and silent,
among the burning sands.

Vignette

Tan like me, brave like me, and strong like me. Carlos, I miss you. I remember this day like if it was yesterday. How can people be so heartless? So cold- blooded and messed up. I was eight, but I had a great memory. I told him I wanted to learn how to ride my bike. I never had anyone there to teach me anyway. Every time I mentioned it to him, he always replied “When I have time, I promise I will take you to the park, teach you how to ride your bike, and even buy you a brand new one”. This was a nightmare, my number one memory as a child, I lost him, and I lost myself.

He told me he was making a lot of money, and with that money he was going to buy me princess dress. So that, I could look like the rich, white, blonde, blue eyed princesses on the movies. He never lied to me, I believed in him. He called me his princess all the time. I truly miss him. The nightmare started on a beautiful sunny day, the sun was smiling at us. He came home early that day; it was about 3pm in the afternoon, November 2004, eight years ago, eight years with memories. He showered, and I waited for him. He told me he was taking me to the park. He grabbed me and helped me get on his red motorcycle. He was going too fast, my mouth was wobbling. We had arrived to the park, he told me to hold on tight, to hold on really tight, to hold on tight, and to never let go. He rushed through his words and said, “I love you, just hold on tight." Two men across the street shot him in the head, his arm, and ankle. Everything was too quick, quicker than a blink. He fell on top of me, and the motorcycle on top of my right leg. I didn’t have time to react, no, no time.

No time at all, no time, no time to call anybody for help, to say, I love you back, to call the ambulance, to call my grandma, to help him stop bleeding. No, no time. I was lying on the floor facing the back of his head, with everyone looking down at us. Yes, a crowd full of people that couldn’t help him, that didn’t bother on helping him. He died immediately, and I am scarred for the rest of my life. I have a six-inch cut on my right thigh, and my heart that could never be healed. I never learned to ride a bike, never looked like a stupid princess, and I didn’t smile for a year. It’s insane how smiles can be taken away from you in a matter of time, and how bad memories can last forever.

My hope started to fade away, my dreams to fall apart, and my heart to break in pieces. Every now and then when I go to Colombia, I go to his grave, and tell him stories about how I finally learned to fake a smile. Rest in peace my little soldier. His memories made me changed the way I view life, everything happens for a reason, and just like happy moments can appear in a matter of time, tragedies can too. You’re were taking away me, but you’re my angel. Now I know not to take anything for granted, and to appreciate the small things in life, and the smiles you remember from the people you love the most.

The Snow was blown away

The clouds were very gray

You could tell more snow was here

In this joyful time of year

The snow was really falling down

There was not a kid with a frown

The children were having a snowball fight

You could not have found a more cheerful sight

All the kids started to frown

When the sun came into town

They wished the snow would come again

So they could play with their friends

The snow was blown away …