The Present Of The Jacket Poem by Cheryl Jacob

A present here,
A present there.
A hint of love,
A hint of smile...
And a gift of jacket to me
By my beloved cousin.
“Made of down feather, it is,
Will keep you warm and cozy.”
With a smile, said he,
“Bought it in my long travels,
And it has seen me through many a miles.
Old looking it is, but it’s down feathers, it’ll
See you through many many a miles.”
He had this strange smile which made me wonder,
Wonder at his munificence.
I wondered at the strange half smile of his,
And the thin white line that
Appeared on his face.

A present here
A present there.
Thank you, said I, with a kiss on his cheek,
Wear it I will to keep me warm and safe.
To that he smiled that half smile one last time
Before he bade me goodbye.
Off I went on my travels
In the middle of winter on the
Choo-choo train.
With an anticipation I remembered...
The present of love...the present of the jacket.
Off the hook and wrapped myself
Within the warmth of down feathers.
With a hint of smile I sent my beloved cousin,
A wish of thanks.

A present here,
A present there.
A strangeness settled on me
When wrapped within the warmth
Of the present of the jacket.
Like a witch’s cloak
It saved me when the
Blast of cold air blew on me
In the choo-choo train.
Like the walls of a castle,
It protected me...
From the icy fingers of cold
Up in the mountains.
Like the swaddling fingers of love,
It wrapped me in comfort of warmth.

A present here,
A present there,
With a faint smile
I shrugged the half-smile of my cousin dear.
What harm could befall me
When cocooned in the
Warmth of down feather jacket...
The present of love...the present of the jacket.
Weary of the travels I turned back
Accompanied by the strangeness manifold.
I closed my eyes one weary night
In the choo-choo train.
On that dark night
The arms of the down jacket
Pulled me under their warmth.
As I went under, I heard a faint sound...
The present of the jacket...down feathers...
Made out of blood will end in blood.
And as I breathe the last breath
I remembered the strange half-smile
And the thin white line that
Appeared on his face.
A present of love made with blood...
The present of the jacket.


January 22,2011