Nose soft, eyes huge, bleating softly for his mother. Reindeer milk from a bottle made of skin. He burps, sleeps.
Darkness cloaks this room of firelight, dog with elbows hard as iron, fawn with legs longer than reason.
***
My grandchildren will come in the morning, strewing snow, chattering like lightning.
‘He will become a mighty buck,’ I say, ‘just like me.’
They laugh, climb into my lap, argue about feeding the fawn, wear the studded dog collar as a crown.
***
Fire flickers, foal bleats, I am tired.
Christmas eve is such a busy night for me and my reindeer.
Darkness cloaks this room of firelight, dog with elbows hard as iron, fawn with legs longer than reason.
***
My grandchildren will come in the morning, strewing snow, chattering like lightning.
‘He will become a mighty buck,’ I say, ‘just like me.’
They laugh, climb into my lap, argue about feeding the fawn, wear the studded dog collar as a crown.
***
Fire flickers, foal bleats, I am tired.
Christmas eve is such a busy night for me and my reindeer.
