santa claus pictures

balance me like a vase on your lap.
i want to hold the lilies
in my mouth. belly full of
ringing water. we were children again 
& december was giving us a rash. 
on all fours,
i ate feed from his hand.
animal me, the boy with 
an elongating tail. wrapping a secret
up in cellophane & setting it
in the back of the fridge next to
an empty pickle jar.
the chair at the table 
mother sets for god. we saw
the ghosts of deer righteously
circling the hole to hell.
he counted my fingers
to be sure. we stepped out
into the snow drift with bare feet
to feel the cold sharpness 
a porch folding itself
into a red napkin. the lilies 
taking their time with death.
i open my mouth 
& all the petal of my lips
wilts & drops. 
how do you determine
which celebration you want 
to nail to the wall?
run in a stocking. torn tendon. 
we shouldn't dwell too much
on what we want. rather we should 
compare notes about the scents
of wood. i think the tree
smells like a weeping game.
chop down a monster. 
two knees made of metal. 
holding hands as we take a chance
on men's synthetic beards.
sew me a face for this.
cross your fingers. tell me
now how you plan to sever. 
make your questions
pocket-sized & edible.
the pine cone hovers where
a heart should be. we take turns 
fearing & listing. cradle envelops 
full of orange & brown 
& red leaves.