John Kaprielian

VERY SECRET SANTA

They stole
my father's car
packed with presents
parked on a
New York City street.

I assume the BMW
was chopped and dispersed
within hours,
the carefully chosen
colorfully wrapped packages
scattered.

The police were not
surprised or even
particularly interested
in looking up from their
desks or apprehending
anyone.

Nothing was ever recovered.

I do hope
everyone enjoyed
their gifts,
purchased
with love
albeit
for someone else.


John reads "Very Secret Santa":



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John confesses: "My father once had his car full of presents stolen. It was awful, happening just before Christmas, but wasn’t a real hardship -- gifts were mostly replaced, and the car was insured. Instead of anger I have always hoped that some needy people got nice presents they otherwise wouldn’t have had."

JOHN KAPRIELIAN is a Russian linguist by education and has been employed as a photo editor for three decades. He has been writing poetry for over thirty-five years; in 2012 he challenged himself to write a poem a day for a year and in 2013 published the 366 poems in a single volume, 366 Poems: My Year in Verse. He has also had poems published in The New Verse News, Down in the Dirt Magazine, and Minute Magazine. His poetry ranges in subject matter from the natural world to current events and politics to introspective and philosophical themes. He lives in Putnam County, New York with his wife, son and assorted pets.