sara Etgen-Baker Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

authentic German advent calendar image from germangirlinamerica.com

Every holiday season, Dad would stop at Kuby's German Market (Dallas, Texas)  to purchase German sausage and an authentic German advent calendar.  I didn't care much for the sausage but took great delight in opening the calendar's windowed squares and retrieving the authentic German candy. 

  

Kuby's German Market, Snider Plaza, Dallas, Texas 

FAMILY HOLIDAY TRADITION

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
behind each numbered door,  
a secret~  
chocolate coins 
wrapped in foil,  
a cinnamon bear 
stiff with sugar,  
a marzipan pig
snout-deep in glitter.  

the rituals are precise~  
peel back the perforation,  
let your finger 
claim the prize.  
(But never peek ahead.)  

by the twenty-fourth,  
the grid is gutted~  
a hollow cathedral
of empty windows,  
where only the memory 
of sweetness lingers 
like tinsel.

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Line Gauthier December 18, 2025 at 1:26 PM Totally charming ~ through your words I relived that magic of childhood excitement ~ sara Etgen-Baker December 21, 2025 at 3:47 PM awww, I'm glad my poem allowed you to relieve some of your childhood magic...that means a great deal to me, hugs

Joseph P. DiMino December 18, 2025 at 4:33 AM Lovely write. I hear that the Christmas Village is on high alert. We must pray for this astray world. Blessings my friend. Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas. In His name we serve. sara Etgen-Baker December 21, 2025 at 3:48 PM I, too, had read the same thing about the German markets all over Germany....quite disturbing and sad. Thanks for your holiday wishes. Merry Christmas, Joe...thanks for your support in2025.

William Rodriguez December 17, 2025 at 5:32 PM Wow very impressive read. The writing must have felt carthartic! I felt relief reading this. I literally clocked the breath I started to breathe! Incredible-Authentic-Simple and Holiday themed? So versitile, Writer well done. sara Etgen-Baker December 21, 2025 at 3:49 PM William--your comments wowed me! Yes, the write was a tad cathartic. Thanks for your enthusiastic response.