Christ Child

The Christ child in Woolworth's this year,
to be purchased for the family's manger scene,
comes, as usual, from Italy
where some Roman factory
punches endless plastic wise men,
Mary's gold halo,
Joseph's crook
and camels - one hump only.

The Christ child in stores this year
because of some machine failure across the sea,
slopes dangerously on a plastic, hay-filled crib;
His eyes, just slightly crossed, look upward
from His precarious bed;
a stroke of blue protects
His infant genitals from our eyes
as His tiny arms reach out.

The Christ child for sale this year
would slide out if not securely fastened,
so somewhere, Rome perhaps,
some workman or machine
has carefully, skillfully, accurately
nailed each Christ child into each manger,
reminding us on Christmas of an Easter yet to come.

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