Atef Ayadi

Merry Christmas
Shoppers, and
Poor women and poor men
With wallets
And without.

Merry Christmas
Whoever is in his or her little cell,
Little box,
In jail for a day
Or for life
For whatever reason.

Merry Christmas
Merry past Christmas
Merry present Christmas
Merry future Christmas
Without exception,
Segregation,
Or exclusion.

Merry Christmas
Believers
Non-believers
people from
earth,
Mars,
Or another galaxy.

Merry Christmas
new born,
Children,
Orphans,
Children who are left behind,
And future humanity.

Merry Christmas
Street’s poets,
Merry Christmas
Low-wage happy faces,
And the running delivery man.

Merry Christmas
Singles,
Single mothers,
Single fathers,
And lonely adventurer
In the wilderness.

Merry Christmas,
Streets,
Trees,
Lakes,
Mountains
Forests,
And prairies
Of America.

Merry Christmas,
Who is attached to the past
And who is planning for the future.

Merry Christmas soldier.
Merry Christmas soldier.
Merry Christmas soldier.
Merry Christmas
Policeman,
And firefighter.

Merry Christmas
My friends
My street mates
My Café mates, and
My bus mates.

Merry Christmas
The cheerful,
The antagonistic
The angry
The bored
The one who feels it is not worth it
The one who is almost there
The one who can not make it.
The one who will not make it.

Merry Christmas
Who is sleeping,
And who is dreaming,
Who is on the road,
Who is traveling
By
Plane,
Boat,
Car,
Or who is orbiting
Around the planet.

Merry Christmas
Mexicans,
Africans,
Asians,
And the European:
The first who came
And the last who are trying.
Merry Christmas
The lost and found
Merry Christmas Native America.

Merry Christmas Eileen.
Merry Christmas
America.