Nike and Mike by Tatiana Victoria Pahlen

Nike and Mike
By Tatiana Pahlen

Ravishing Santa and Mrs. Claus
welcomed me with joyous jumps
before sniffing my flannel gloves
each featuring a face of a smiley cat.
Santa sprang backwards and showed his teeth.
Mrs. Claus wiggled her body in a display of goodwill;
She placed her chin on the cat's ear
and slobbered all over the glove.
Sneering Santa leapt from the other side
tackling the second glove.
The smirk vanished from the cat's face; I heard a hiss
as Santa received a scratch on his pug nose.
Mrs. Claus jumped for joy but stood by her Santa.
I touched their glitzy costumes, red and warm.
"Nike and Mike! Come on you guys, time to go home!"
A whistling slim man attached short straps
to their fancy coats,
pulling away my festive friends.
"Come on! Show is over!"
Santa made a fool of himself;
He made peace with the cat
by licking its knitted head
and barking happily.

I looked back at their wagging tails...
Merry Christmas, Nike and Mike!
Will I see you in costumes next year?