Mary Short

Mary Short longed for Christmas, she pined for Yuletide,
Christmas tree, outside lights and a snowy sleigh ride.
Yet despite Yule enticements like Santa and sled,
Mary loved to go shopping a few months ahead.

She began in October before the first chill;
buying presents for Christmas to her was a thrill.
Long before the first frost and the glorious glow
of the neighborhood maples in San Mateo.

Advertising enthralled her and whetted her yen
to proceed like a fever fomenting, and then
ere the fall vicissitudes were a stark diner-stop,
Mary stirred from her lair rising eager to shop.

Ah, but then she had second thoughts one autumn day
thinking life a rat-race, a commercial highway.
It sped up like a truck to unnerve Halloween
and steamrolled poor Thanksgiving, which seemed so obscene.

She decided to wait until one day before
in a state of intent to venture to the store.
Then in one fallen swoop she'd buy presents for all;
(to be honest said store was a very big mall.)

Mary mused as the days of October flew by
munching ice cream and chocolate beads on the fly,
tending readily to her Tae Bo to keep lean,
grinning ear to ear as trick-or-treaters were seen.

Then November appeared like a vast barren plain
and Miss Mary resolved with true grit to remain
chaste of credit card swipe per the lure of Yule gift;
this approach saw the month move exceedingly swift.

As December set in with disdain for the light,
Mary x’ed days on calendar winning her fight
tossing back her blonde hair with a gleam in blue eyes
yet still checking her gift list for color and size.

She unfolded her list and discerned it for sure
as her tabby Fiona in contented purr
sidled lovingly brushing on pink fashion wear
in the living room comfort of Easy Boy chair.

‘Twas the day before Christmas and Miss Mary Short
with alacrity through Hillsdale Mall did cavort,
thinking her strategy was especially smart
buying gift after gift with a song in her heart.


40 Lines
Anapestic Tetrameter
Writer’s Cramp
12-22-17

Requirements:
—Christmas tree
—diner
—ice cream
—chocolate beads