Ode to Christmas Shopping and Raucous Grackles

Beauty truly is in the Eyes of the Beholder.......

Christmas Shopping !  Yes, those words are hauntingly daunting

But, even Holiday Cookie Makers like me
Must at one time or another
Visit their local super-duper H.E.B.
Grocery Store, that is
Filled with canned Christmas Carols
And all that Biz
And other Holiday Shoppers
Bustling and Buzzing with glee - tee-hee-hee !
So, after locating and picking up
The dates, the pecans, the coconut
The butter, the vanilla, the Eggs
While dodging Speeding Rolling Baskets
Surrounded by Families with what looks like
Dozens of Caterpillar Legs - beep !  beep !
Laughing and saying, “Excuse me, may I pass by this way ?”
For the twenty-fifth time
I suggested to one of the barking Sour Puss’s
“Perhaps we should put Directional Blinkers
And Warning Horns on each of the Grocery Store’s Baskets
Whizzing past yours and mine ?”
The not as sour Sour Puss grinned and said,
“Now, that’s a good idea.
The first to come my way today.”
To which I declared, “Why thank you, sir,
And Merry Christmas to you and yours !”
As I waved
And smiled
And continued to push my Basket past his
And off to the ever expected Long Line
Of Awaiting Shoppers
At the Cashiers I (and a multitude of Others) whizzed
After waiting in line
And chatting with Strangers
About all of their Holiday Goings On
I finally arrived at the Busy Cashier’s
And thanked her for putting up with Christmas Rush
And the Un-Holiday-like rudeness of some
When leaving the Store
The electric Doors zipped open wide
And what Wonders
Greeted me (and everyone else) outside ?
But the steady ring-a-linging
Of the Salvation Army’s Christmas Bell
And an amazing, blazing Sunset
That made my eyes well
And every Tree in the Parking Lot
Was filled with the stunning Dark Silohuettes
Of Raucous Grackles
That made my Heart and Soul Fly and Swell
as I put a few dollars in the Salvation Army’s Pot
I asked the Bell ringing
Sweet Older Lady Volunteer
Wearing a Santa’s Cap
If she could see the Sunset
From her Bell ringing Spot
And I verbally complimented
The stunning Sight
Of the Flocks of Dark Birds
Covering the Trees
In the approaching night
Especially surrounded
By the Glorious and Colorful Sunset
Deepening the Winter’s Solstice Sky
Oh my !
When another Lady arrived
To place money in the Salvation Army’s Pot
Who simultaneously said, “No, they are Not !
Those Grackles are a Nuisance
They poop all over our cars and the Parking Lot
And their Shrieking and Noisy Voices are jarring
They are nothing but a Bother !
A Wonder they are Not !”
Smiling, I said, “We must Agree to Disagree, Ma’am
Because you see
I think that I shall never See
Anything as Beautiful as
Sunset Flocks of Grackles
Singing Raucously
In Texas Live Oak Trees
I’m glad I came Shopping
This Winter’s Solstice Eve !”
And I waved at the Salvation Army Volunteer
And wished her and her Family
A very Merry Christmas full of cheer
And rolling my Basket toward my pooped upon car
I wished the Grackle-hating Lady the same
Yes, indeed
I think that I shall never See
Anything as Beautiful
As Christmas Flocks of Grackles
At Sunset
Singing Raucously and Reverently
(and pooping bothersomely Irreverently)
In (and on) a Parking Lot filled with Texas Live Oak Trees !
Fah-lah-lah-lah-lah-tee-hee-tee-hee !