The burnished oak beneath my feet begins to blur
Impatient shoppers bulldoze by; I bite my lip, try not to cry
One teardrop falls, a single saline splat on polished shoe
Her words spill, thick and fast, and faster still
I’d dawdled, wrapped in wonder at the sights and lights;
No child could dance on past without a second glance!
I stopped and stared, I played and strayed; then she was gone
And I was suddenly alone . . . alone too long
Gloved fingers grip my spindly arms so hard it hurts
Her spearmint breath is warm; her quiet lecture icy cold
I’m pulled into the fold of Mother’s winter coat
And tightly spun, we forge on through the horde as one.