Nutcracker’s Lament
Image by Jez Timms via Unsplash
Here I am, a sentinel of wood and paint,
my joints, stiffened by time, creak like old doors.
My painted smile is fixed, yet hollow,
beneath the weight of unfulfilled wishes.
Once, I was a soldier, brave and bold,
a guardian of sugar-spun realms,
where candy canes grew like trees
and laughter rang like crystal bells.
The distant clock strikes, its chimes echo of battles I fought.
I also remember the twirl of silk tutus,
the sweet scent of candied dreams,
and the tender longing for a dance that will never be.
I imagine them twirling, the sugar plum fairies,
their feet light as snowflakes,
spinning through the air,
while I can only dream of pirouettes.
Now, I am a relic, my wooden heart splintered.Oh, how I long for the moment
when I am again more than wood,
when I can leap and twirl
amongst the sugar plum fairies.
Looking for more holiday magic? Find the beauty in poetry, fiction, essays, and readings right here.
- On Patrol – Christmas Poetry
- Missing Everything – Emotive Christmas Fiction
- What’s the Rest of the Story? – Christmas Poetry
- Claus, the Legend of the Fat Man – Book Review
- Grandma Smelled of Cinnamon – Christmas Poetry
- A Gift for Sandy – Creative Christmas Nonfiction
- Mum’s Christmas Pudding – Christmas Poetry
- The Twelve Suspects of Christmas – a Book Review
Sara Etgen-Baker
After a 25-year teaching career, Sara Etgen-Baker began writing. She’s written a collection of memoir vignettes (Shoebox Stories), a collection of poems (Kaleidoscopic Verses), and a novel (Secrets at Dillehay Crossing). Her writing has appeared in a variety of publications including Guideposts and Chicken Soup for the Soul.
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Images by lifeforstock and kjpargeter via Freepik, and cocoparisienne from Pixabay
