T’was the night before Christmas
The ground snowy soft
As Tanim sat drinking
Up in his loft
Alcohol bottles
Littered the bed
And nameless ghosts swirled
Through the man’s head
He felt so alone
And though he knew why
He cared not to live
But only to die
Vice after vice
He tried to find rest
To numb the hollow
Of the heart in his chest
When on the balcony
There arose such a clatter
Tanim sprang up
To see what was the matter
Away to the glass door
He flew like a flash
Tore open the curtains
And pulled down the sash
The moon on the breast
Of the new-fallen snow
Gave a lustre
To the grey world below
When what to his wondering
Eyes he beheld
A dagger-thin man
With silver hair, felled
Stumps on his shoulders
So jagged and red
Tanim opened the door
Knelt down and said
“Who are you, sir?
And what is your name?
Can you please tell me
From whence you came?”
“I only know death
And I only know pain”
The sorrow in his voice
The man could not feign
Before he could think
Tanim drew the man near
“Don’t be frightened, sir,
You’ll be safe here”
The man, with reluctance
Gave Tanim his trust
He was tired of running
And rest he must
The broken man leaned
Heavily on Tanim’s arm
Who moved very slowly
So as not to do harm
“Daren” he said
“Is how I am known
I have neither favor
Nor grace to loan
But I am indebted
To you and your own”
Tanim listened
To the man’s tale
Learned of his
Utter desire to fail
To leave the realm of angels
Where he was stuck
How he leapt from the sky
And landed with luck
On a loft in a city
Dreary and cold
But more stunning
Than his kin ever doled
Touched, Tanim leaned close
To give him a kiss
The fallen angel
Reared away with a hiss
“Don’t touch me!” he screamed
“You don’t know what I am!”
“You’re as shattered as me!”
“I don’t give a damn!”
Then from under his shirt
The angel drew steel
“Is this all a trick?
Are you even real?”
“Put down the knife
Come here and feel”
Daren stepped forward
To touch the man’s cheek
And found more
Than he intended to seek
The two men embraced
‘neath the moon’s silver light
And for the first time
Tanim’s Christmas
Was a beautiful night.

[ My wonderful girlfriend wrote this parody poem for me for Christmas. See how talented she is? Now go read her stuff! ]