Meryl Stratford
A Visit from St. Nicholas

Patron saint of sailors, children,
and repentant thieves, his bones rest
in countless churches, but his spirit
wanders on Christmas Eve.
He finds himself in a twenty-first century
suburb, dazzled by hundreds of thousands
of twinkling lights, mystified by
flying reindeer, angels singing
‘Santa Baby’ in sexy voices,
snowflakes in sequinned tutus, top hats
on snowmen, giant candy canes,
tinselled trees, and a bearded
fat man in a bright red suit.
Shouldering his sackful of miraculous gifts,
St. Nicholas turns toward a homeless shelter
in the dark heart of the city.