A WAGON FOR CHRISTMAS

ONE NIGHT JUST A WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS
A DEAR LITTLE BOY SAID HIS PRAYERS.
I STOOD BY THE DOOR AS I LISTENED
BUT HE DIDN'T KNOW I WAS THERE.

I'LL NEVER FORGET HOW MY HEART BLED
AS I SAW HIM KNEEL DOWN TO PRAY.
HIS TWO LITTLE HANDS WERE FOLDED
THESE ARE THE WORDS HE DID SAY.

"GOD, I CAN HEAR MOMMY AND DADDY
EACH NIGHT WHEN I KNEEL BY MY BED.
I PRAY EVERY NIGHT THEY'LL STOP FIGHTING
BUT EACH NIGHT IT GETS WORSE INSTEAD.

I KNOW THAT YOU TOLD THEM IT HURTS ME
FOR YOU ANSWER ALL OF MY PRAYERS.
I KNOW THAT THEY JUST WILL NOT LISTEN
GOD, IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. IT'S THEIRS.

TODAY DADDY SAID HE IS LEAVING...
AND NEVER WILL COME BACK AGAIN.
I JUST WANT MY DADDY FOR CHRISTMAS
BUT IF HE WON'T LISTEN, WELL THEN...

JUST BRING ME A WAGON FOR CHRISTMAS;
A WAGON THAT'S PAINTED BRIGHT RED.
DEAR GOD IF MY DADDY WON'T LISTEN
I'LL PRAY FOR A WAGON INSTEAD".

I'LL NEVER FORGET CHRISTMAS MORNING.
HE RAN ALL THE WAY DOWN THE STAIRS.
HE KNELT AT THE TREE BY THE WAGON
AND SOFTLY HE WHISPERED THIS PRAYER.

"GOD THANK YOU FOR MY PRETTY WAGON.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT YOU COULDN'T DO.
I KNOW THIS WHOLE WORLD WOULD BE BETTER
IF PEOPLE WOULD LISTEN TO YOU".

This poem was a finalist in the August 2011 poetry contest