the eight feet from floor to ceiling
our father had to bend over
the tallest branch to stick it up the angel
we watched him wrap the tree in
electric lights
then handed him Christmas ornaments
the paper chains we'd made
popcorn strung on thread
we watched him toss icicles
to finish festivating the tree
it should have been a merry scene
except we participated under duress
following orders, not a smile among us
and none of us touched the tree
our mother just watched
not about to get involved
when it was done he took his pictures
we had to stand around it for some of them
"smile" he would say and three of us would fake it
my brother Bill either ignored him
or had withdrawn into a foreign land
only he knew of
a land spared Christmas trees and family happiness
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