Text

melancholy girl
sitting underneath
the christmas tree
the corpses
of presents wrapping
paper and ribbons
entangled in her
legs
the scotch tape cutting
edge is bloody
little bits of flesh
hanging from it
like streamers
her mouth is pink
and red
a cherry yet to be
plucked from an
ailing tree

mother bought her
a coat
faux fur that tickles
her nose
the scissors are
in her pocket
warm and full of
a strange pulsing
sort of life
she wants to feel
their sharp edge
on her tongue
cutting it to
ribbons
silencing the christmas
carols that lie in
her mind like
stillborn children

the sky is naked
the clouds frightened
away by the crowds
swaying together in
front of the mall
waiting for the sales
price tags cut off
and stuck in her
pockets
an ice chip stuck
in her throat

that's what's for
dinner, dear

christmas dinner
with a bowl of
steaming cranberry
sauce that looks
like clotted blood
in the toilet bowl
unwrapped gifts
put away
too much money
and too little want
what she wants
is the silver cut
taste of thin
in her mouth
the word caresses
the back of her throat
like a lover
like her fingers
do when she eats
that chocolate cookie
with minty edges

tasteless non triumph
in her mouth
another pound lost
clots of hair in
the drain
green and red dress
gracing her figure
she looks shriveled
mouth tight with
hunger
the hunger that never
leaves
no matter how
many christmas
dinners there are
scavenging like an
animal after the family is
safe in the living room
swallowing down ham
and glittery bits of ice
and apple pie
throwing it all
up with her face in
a grimace
little red spots underneath
her eyes

the rough green christmas
tree with its silver
ornaments and glowing
lights
it stands tall in her
mind
when she goes
to bed with her
throat red and raw
and her stomach
aching

no more gifts
to exchange
no more feasts
to devour and vomit
in a mass of heaves

christmas is over