to spark the story funny cards are best
that reindeer's bushy ******* and his backward grin
makes each of us a burly teamster Santa  
but best of all, the irony of ***-end-joy
makes this the perfect millennial American Greeting
                to plunk down the Wal-Mart buck-fifty for

alas, the real juice of narrative's left at the store
the all-night mind spins out its setting
action arch of dialogue to dénouement
then lost in the well-stocked silence of stuff

somewhere in those reels, maybe a better person
crafts hearts breaking open to a generous life
and emerges from those screenings joyful—
grateful for the chance to evolve from the self-serving
                multitude of errors sporting masks
posts gentle merry wishes and even ribald humor
                to that impossible God-blessed everyone