Magical Letter

A time of youth and innocence,
A time when anything was possible,
A letter from my hero,
SANTA!
He responded, he cared!
I was full of excitement and joy
I savour every one of his words.

But time moves on as I grow,
my world has changed.
I’ve begun to question all my thoughts,
my beliefs and my reality.
I now watch as my little brother’s eyes light up
I wonder when his world will begin to change,
When he no longer believes!

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This poem was highly commended for Poetry Object 2013

Judge's notes:
This poem uses a letter to dramatise the difference between younger children, who believe in Santa, and an older child, who doesn’t.
The poem begins with the narrator’s excitement at receiving a letter from Santa (conveyed with capital letters and exclamation points), adopts a calmer, more questioning tone in the middle, and then turns to the narrator’s younger brother, who still believes.
What a lovely dramatic arc.

~ Rachael Briggs, Judge, Poetry Object 2013