A Winter’s Tale
by
Michael Dylan Welch and Sarah Welch
Winner of first honourable mention in the
2014 rengay contest sponsored by the Haiku Poets of Northern California. First
published in Mariposa #33,
Autumn/Winter 2015, page 29. Written 27 November 2014 in Redmond, Washington,
when Sarah was eight years old. These verses were originally written in the opposite
order.
morning light—
a trace of snow
on the neighbour’s crèche Michael
granddad steals a gumdrop
from the gingerbread house Sarah
crowded mall—
the eyes of carolers
all aglow Michael
mistletoe hung
above the mantel—
empty stocking Sarah
sale flags fluttering
in the tree lot Michael
bronze sunset . . .
the first Christmas lights
turn on Sarah
Commentary by the Rengay Contest Judges“With lively imagery and pace, this rengay captures the warmth of Christmas,
tempered by realism as in ‘sale flags.’” —Beverley
George
“I felt all aglow after reading this fine Christmas rengay. I enjoyed the
progression between granddad stealing a gumdrop to the final verse which
links sunset with Christmas lights.” —Ron
C. Moss
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