From Santa

[Philatone]

Wrapping presents
once the house has set
and gone to sleep, it is not so hard
to be a thief;

a stereo to drown
creaks of paper
pressed to squares,
the opening of a downstairs drawer
for tape, the rummage for a bow.

Not even a shadow leaks
from any bedroom door
from the murmurs of the stairs,
swipes of scissors,
marches to a dying tree

where tomorrow it will not matter
how your gift
wandered into the morning,

or that the name
on the bottom
of the tag
is wrong.