Downstairs
Near the basement boiler
Where my childhood toys
Stayed hidden
Stood a shadowy man
In that nightmare
Whose scarlet coat
Appeared burned

Sporting rags
He’d apparently torn
While breaking inside
Seeking playthings
Still lighting each fuse
On some fireworks
Aiming loaded shells
At their face

Soon waking me up
With those bangs
And rattling walls
Shooting embers
Nearly charring his beard
As they fired
Raining sparks over floors
Just below

Between concrete walls
Storing bins
Across plastic lids
Along shelving
Throwing fiery stars
Kindling trinkets
Losing faith
We so preciously kept

Scorching all
Showing little remains
Leaving no other gift
But reflections
Of memories caught
Inside boxes
Become dancing flames
After dark

Now teddy bears charred
During dreams
Next to mangled trains
Always smoking
Every Christmas Eve
Fearing Santa
Will return what light
He once brought.

• J. Pigno