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Pedro swings a mop all night
on the 30th floor of Castle Towers
just off Michigan Avenue
not far from the foaming Lake.
The floor is his, all his,
to swab and wax till dawn.
The sun comes up and Pedro's
on the subway snoring,
roaring home to a plate
of huevos rancheros,
six eggs swimming
in a lake of salsa verde,
hot tortillas stacked
beside them.
After breakfast,
Pedro writes a poem
for Esperanza,
the wife who waits
in Nuevo Leon.
He mails the poem
that night, going back
to his bucket and mop.
Pedro's proud
of three small sons,
soccer stars
in the making.
On Christmas Eve
the boys wait up
in Nuevo Leon
and peek out the window.
Papa's coming home
for Christmas!
Pedro arrives at midnight
on a neighbor's donkey,
laughing beneath
a giant sombrero.
He has a red serape
over his shoulder,
and he's juggling
sacks of gifts.
When the donkey stops,
the boys dash out and clap
and dance in circles.
Esperanza stands
in the doorway
and sings
Feliz Navidad.
© by Donal Mahoney.
Used with the author’s permission.
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Donal Mahoney (1938 - 2017), the son of Irish immigrants, grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He later lived in St. Louis, Missouri. Donal spent the early ‘70s actively submitting poems to print journals and enjoyed some success. He then took a 35-year hiatus from poetry to work as an editor of prose at such lofty establishments as the Chicago Sun-Times, Loyola University Press, and Washington University in St. Louis. Upon retirement, Donal took to his recliner, and was perfectly happy reading and listening to Gregorian chant all day. After three years, however, his wife bought Donal a computer and showed him where the boxes of still-unpublished poems had been stored in the basement for many years. Thus Donal began actively submitting again in June 2008. See more of his work at http://booksonblog12.blogspot.com/.
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ed werstein:
Fantastic poem, Donal. Thank you and Merry Christmas.
Posted 12/26/2013 11:19 AM
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Holly Blakeslee:
I very much agree with Sherry's statements. Thank you so much for YDP, Jayne ~ it means more than you know, it has touched my life as well. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and the best in the New Year!
Posted 12/25/2013 12:45 AM
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jayne:
You are so very welcome, Sherry. YDP brings tremendous joy to my life and the opportunity to get to know poets, poetry lovers, and poetry skeptics around the world is like having Christmas all year long!
Posted 12/24/2013 02:55 PM
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TheSilverOne:
Thank you, Donal, and thank you to your wife! Loved the story this poem told, the images.
Posted 12/24/2013 08:56 AM
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Sherry:
I want to write a thank-you to Jayne, the host of YDP. It is an incredible amount of work to solicit poems, search for them, and select which to use for EACH day of the year, then to write something about each one as an introduction. That would soon become a dreaded chore for many people, but Jayne continues to do it, to her readers' delight. Thanks Jayne, for YDP and all your hard work! You bring poetry to the masses, where it belongs.
Merry Christmas!
Posted 12/24/2013 08:51 AM
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Janet Leahy:
A wonderful Christmas poem that tells a beautiful story. Thank you Donal.
Posted 12/24/2013 08:13 AM
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CamilleBalla:
A poetic treat to take the reader from Pedro's work-world and lifestyle to his grand arrival in Nuevo León. I can feel the joy and celebration of his waiting children and can hear his Esperanza singing. Great images; unique poem.
Note: I have enjoyed reading other poems by Donal Mahoney at this site. Thinking maybe I should find the cd I have of Gregorian chant and listen.
Posted 12/24/2013 07:10 AM
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