After So Much Time (Poetry)

The room’s looking festive —
worth all the unsteady climbing on chairs
to pin the decorations high enough
and so out of reach of playful feline paws

It’s warm in here — cosy in its way
and our guests are settled down
with their sherry and mince pies
I try not to catch the eyes of some
I’m struggling to remember who is who

among these old family friends
that we haven’t seen in ages
and invited quite spontaneously
never dreaming they’d actually turn up ...

The years slip by, unkind they take their toll
so it’s hard to match names to weathered faces ...

Then, primed like heat-seeking missiles, they home in
and I’m cornered by their Merry Christmas smiles
the goodwill of the moment glows
and I’m touched by something, prompting me to say
how very glad I am to see them all again
                                                after so much time ...

Later, in the after-party hush
I’m standing by the open kitchen door
with the night sky full of stars and wondering
was that the cat,
                        or the ghost of Yuletide
                                                        I let in?