The color of groans reminding how quickly the heart's chalice drains in seconds. Soured promises made when the oven didn't work. Baking done by proxy, hairball sweetners storm as obstacles. Eyeglass rainbows out of focus, winter's nightmare frozen on the tracks, derailing the engine that could. They are like ice cream cones lasting only a hour's breath.
Deeds measure a pauper's soul.
Taxman's goosebumps spoil the feast for the address lords. Their keys open doors, but not to the worlds where smiles lick the stones of imagination's lair. Singing behind price tags, ignored by hearts drunk with the stench of gifts. Unwrapping comes later when elves become debt and reindeer turn to postcards. The pruning forbidden dulls till expectancy's wine curdles into a sop feeding the bowels with a spiritual constipation instead of the stardust from the lace of pine.