The Christmas Doll

She stood in the window of the toy store,
a beautiful doll dressed in gorgeous gown.
Little Sally loved her more and more.
She saw her daily; she lived four doors down.

Sally and her mother lived at the shelter,
for their family had fallen on hard times.
“Sally, there’s no money, not one quarter,
for toys this year. I know how your hope climbs.”

“I’ll ask Santa Claus to bring her to me,”
Sally announced happily, with a smile.
So Sally walked blocks, a Santa to see,
and then waited in line quite a long while.

When her turn came to sit upon Santa’s lap,
she said, “The doll in the toy store window
is all I want this year. Bring a warm wrap
for Mama. She needs it. We’re poor, you know.”

She left with Santa’s promise “to see what
he could do”. Sally told her mom not to worry,
Santa would surely take care of them, but
her mom warned he might get in such a hurry

that he could bypass them come Christmas Eve.
Sally remained adamant that Santa would
deliver, despite excuses her mom did conceive
to prepare her for disappointment, if she could.

Three days before Christmas the doll was gone
from the window. Sally was certain that
meant Santa had gotten it for her. Dawn
of Christmas Day, reality knocked Sally flat.

There was no doll. Santa failed to deliver
as she hoped. All Sally received was a coat
and mittens. “Now you won’t have to shiver
all winter.” Mama’s words stuck in her throat.

Sally was crestfallen. Through tears, she said,
“I swear when I grow up, I’m gonna be rich.”
Sally studied and worked hard to get ahead.
Her motto: “When you’re poor, life’s a bitch!”


Line Count = 36 lines as 9 quatrains