Innocence Lost Poem by Sydney Daniels

The other night,
In lights so bright,
My three kids and I
Decorated the Christmas tree.

Ornaments and garland,
Outside snow was falling,
A prettier scene and perfect mood
The spirit of the season around us.

My oldest daughter, just turned ten,
Whispered in my ear, crestfallen,
“I know there isn’t a Santa Claus”
A ball with his picture in her hand.

Her eyes searched mine,
As a clock slowly chimed,
The world sped back up to normal speed,
As I replied, “Who told you that? ”

Her brother and sister ignored
Us as she told me the reliable source
My ears barely heard as my heart screamed
In pain at her innocence lost.

Christmas Day
Is only nine days away!
To take Santa now is too cruel,
Heartless, insensitive and evil.

The look in her eyes
Said don’t continue the lie
So I sat the first beat of my heart down
For a mother to daughter talk.

I told her I wasn’t mad
That I cried because I was sad
That my little girl was growing up
And there was nothing I could do to stop it.

Oh Mom! She cried.
But I smiled at the gleam in her eye
When I told her she was in on the secret.
She loves it when she knows something her siblings don’t.