Get me to the Holidays

(Sorry, Auden!)

Away from teenagers, compromise, and shite,
from always feeling like I have to —
being nice to one more person I don’t like.

Dial down talk of Jesus, and sleeps,
minimise turkey and family time;
stockpile Bailey’s, salt and vinegar, ice.
Put Fairytale on repeat, turn off the lights.

Leave me a blanket, the bottle, a flat screen,
wintry days to run away in silence;
the old friends I never get to see.

Unplug the doorbell, let my battery die,
throw my iPad in the river,
burn all alarm clocks.

I’m not home till next year.

*

This is William Patrick’s second time to appear on Dodging the Rain.