the christmas tree

the winds yowl and howl,
but inside my mother's 
house there is beauty and awe
wrapped in baubles and tinsel
and lights; the chistmas tree is
unaware of any chaos—
there is no rain shower to dampen
its song or promise of light.
 

Linda M. Crate's works have been published in numerous journal and anthologies, both online and in print. She has eleven published chapbooks of poetry, the latest being: fat & pretty (Dancing Girl Press, June 2022).