• They're sleeping,

    Silently dozing.

    Until the morning,

    And then they're rising.

    The children stretch,

    The adults yawn,

    The pets wake,

    And soon it's a barn.

    After the sleeps gone, the children rush to a tree

    When they see the presents, they shout with glee.

    They tear at the wrapping

    And tug at the ribbons

    Hard to believe they were napping

    Before the day had been given.

    The parents would come over to watch all of these messes

    But they couldn't be angry

    The gifts made happy guesses.

    But what is this,

    A child looks over to the parents.

    "Where is he?"

    That child questions.

    The mother gives a tight smile.

    "He can't come." She answers

    After a while.

    "But he's still here."

    She didn't want to give fear.

    "He's still watching." The father adds.

    He had a quick ear.

    The child was satisfied, too young to understand.

    Turning away from the adults and going back to the band.

    I continue to grin

    Knowing what they were saying.

    They were talking of kin

    Who had left away in praying.

    But I didn't want them to be sad.

    This holiday was supposed to be glad.

    "Don't think of me, think of them."

    I gesture at the children.

    No one hears, but my words have to suffice.

    Besides, just watching was nice.

    The children laugh and they play,

    The tension finally gave way.

    At that moment, I smile and I say

    "Finally, what a happy holiday."