Amidst everyone and
the chatter and charge of
Happy Christmas
He, alone in the crowd
thinks
quietly so as not to disturb
or let loose the reflections that others could see

And when it comes
down to brass tacks
the facts having been laid bare, or
at least
presumed for another year
He smiles
of the happiness ahead
and of its when, and where

And at the end
when
finally the whole can be seen

they

the cast from across my time
will pause
stand
meet
greet me

know me with every look
saying nothing
everything
and letting me decide

any judgement to be mine
on what I had
and did
or said

hid now from
that broken shell

the downward place a
screen screaming the
internal film
of all
that was, and
what could have been