G4SMAS

A robin hops atop the Yarl’s Wood fence

Remembered there was holly there before

Inside, inmates offer thumb prints for bread,

A thin layer of meat grease and cranberry

They get ginger and lemon in their cups

A screw came up with that recipe, as

He found all the mis’ry just so stifling

Later, they light a small fire in a bin,

sit around its warmth until pulled away

‘‘tis Christmas Night! No lights! No vermin stir.’

A man sings Tikhaya Noch quietly

To the embers of the dying fire.