Small Town Holiday Parade

Holiday cheer spills into the streets

Clustering the crosswalks,

Giggling the street signs

Police cars sound the hoarding marchers

Throwing from handcrafted floats sticky candy and colored plastic beads,

Waving crisp fingers and smiling with crackled lips

Parents line up to snapshot each child

Dressed in JROTC uniforms, band colors, and Santa's forget-me-not's

Hear the roar of the proud fire truck

Watch the Boy Scouts nest under thick quilts on hay topped carriages!

Banners hang crooked, announcing the slideshow

Red and green sprinkle the old cars and show peeping elder faces with youthful eyes

The bands' sounds deep underfoot, caroling drums beat into the concrete

Carrying each upturned face with tune,

Rattling notes pulsing out of ear range

Traveling beyond the eye's sight

Hot coffee and warm funnel cake fill the air with sugary sweetness

Bringing life to numb fingers despite wind chill and Celsius.

Each person, together, stringing lights with each photo flash

The display knows no strangers

Within thirty minutes the community: family~

Bell's sound and the red suited, whiskered familiar jolly elf tails up the barrage.

The street sweeps itself clear, picking up each pink cheeked daughter

Opens doors for each laughing son, every fair weather queen, and Mayor~

Small tables fold up and pack tightly, tidy candles and handmade purses,

Each nod and smile to be wrapped up, tucked into cars and minivans

The traffic hardly noticed in the church's happy parking lot, the pastor waves farewell

Family, buckled and belted, listen to chattering and excitement

Disappointed that time did not stand still, proud of the heated airflow

Heading toward houses with awaiting cats, glowing fireplaces, and unplugged strings

Humming spirited melody, passing each bright window,

Ready to develop memories to send to Grandmother's with Wal-mart's help

Hungry for the next glittery march to celebrate the season...