We deck the trees in color
to reminds us of joy when darkness comes.
No need,
says the land, garlanded in winter fruits.
But we didn’t come to listen,
did we?
Every year the dog walkers decorate the park for Christmas, and it’s always such a happy sight this time of year, when the sun sets at 4:15 and there’s so much gray in the world. But on this walk, I noticed these bright berries not two feet from a decorated tree, and they were as bright as anything that was strung there. It made me pause.
And then I laughed, because one of the ornaments was a pine cone. Hung on a pine tree. With red yarn. That’s humans for you.