Coming On Christmas

I had the radio on at Christmas time
They played song after song to fit the season
I closed my eyes and thought very hard
This time of year holds a lot of burning
Some of it good like a warm log on a fire
Some of it bad like a warm log
falling out of a hot fire

I had the radio on at Christmas time
They played song upon song to bring it home
I closed my eyes and tried not to think about it
but the music made that impossible
This room filled up with it and I couldn’t hide
from the effect of all that deliberate tuning
to the sounds of the season

I had the radio on at Christmas time
The DJ played songs to represent himself
because he had nothing else to do for work
I closed my eyes and imagined him sad as Hades
Plodding along his curated list because it was expected
that he do his part in making things jolly and bright
even though he felt like ending all later that night

I had the radio on at Christmas time
Closed my eyes and wished the DJ a merry one
He sounded like a broken bell whenever he spoke
Got a pang in his tone wherever he tried to wish it back
But I wished him one anyway despite how useless it felt
to pass on traditional greetings by rote
After all God forbid I said how I really felt

I turned the radio off right after I thought that

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
onward,
T