Christmas holidays
Joy, Laughter, Cheer
"Merry, Merry, Marigold," sang Mum
"Merry, Merry Mum," sang Marigold

Cheeks and nose tips
glowing bright pink
against frigid air.
Bodies at sharp upward angle
ski lift carrying them
Up Up Up

Tips slightly skyward
they slide smoothly from the lift
Marigold then Mum

Side by side
Each spies their downward course
With mighty heaves they push off

"Happy Christmas, Mum!"
"Happy Christmas Marigold"

Marigold's helmet
A disco ball
Glitter, sparkles, color
reflecting brilliant sunshine
A comet streaking downward
Screaming toward terminal velocity

Mum carves a serpentine path
A python's body in the new snow
Fresh
Natural
Tranquil

Somewhere near the top
Children hear a hideous snicker-snack
A pine bough vorpal sword
Finds its mark in someone's back

Somewhere on the mountain
Sun melted snow
And the carefree happy skier
had nowhere else to go

Her skiing day ended
Amid the trees and dirt
Her glistening glitter helmet
Crumpled
Filled with earth

Paralysis would be the happy ending,
but this is not that day
The little girl named Marigold
will never get back up to play

That's the tragic outcome
when trees meet vertebrae

Her friends gather together
Engineering an awesome little shrine
filled wth flowers, cats, and baseballs
and even a basketball-sized porcupine

Beneath a mighty pine tree
Friends embrace and say goodbye
Christmas holiday is a rotten time
For little kids to die.