Another Christmas On Her Own

by Paul Tristram / December 25th, 2016

She’s noticed that the clock ticks more slowly
upon three days of the year,
her birthday, Valentine’s Day and this one.
The Council magnolia, tinsel-less walls
blink and shine colourfully
from the flashing Christmas lights
invading from the house opposite.
She refuses to watch telly over this holiday period
and will not eat anything
until the day after Boxing day.
Instead, she listens quietly and intently to ‘Talk Radio’
and the large group of Widows and Widowers
who gather there… in the lost, small hours.
Weeping pitifully down telephone lines and into airwaves,
unburdening themselves heroically
for all the world to hear.
It helps to take the edge off that glistening knife,
she normally has no trouble dulling…
it does not warm yet unchills
the frost and sadness from her lonely, old bones.

Paul Tristram is a widely published Welsh writer who deals in the Lowlife, Outsider, and Outlaw genres.  He wrote his first poem as a teenager following his release from the (Infamous) Borstal ‘HMP Portland’, and he has been creating Literary Terrorism ever since.  His novel ‘Crazy Like Emotion’ is available to purchase right here . Also his collection of shorter fiction Kicking Back Drunk ‘Round The Candletree Graves' is available to purchase at https://bookgoodies.com/a/B0DFMTSR4F Both books are published by Close To The Bone Publishing. Read other articles by Paul, or visit Paul's website.

This article was posted on Sunday, December 25th, 2016 at 8:03am and is filed under Poetry.