Lillian the Leprechaun

 

 

Lillian the leprechaun never felt quite right.

Perhaps it was the heavy gold she carried around. 

Or maybe it was the abundance of rainbows she found.

Whatever it was, it kept her awake every night.

 

She slugged through every year, doing chores for her holiday.

She planted four-leaf clovers in clover patches. 

She sprinkled red hairs into men's mustaches.

She was purposely spotted by one human each St. Patrick's day. 

 

Lillian hopped by a puddle and caught her reflection.

Her green overalls and blazer gave her a chuckle.

That silly top hat and big ol' belt buckle. 

Her laugh faded quickly and she felt only self-rejection.

 

Lillian's favorite time of year fell in late December.

Drinking hot cocoa by the fireplace was soothing.

Snowflakes falling into thick white blankets; moving.

She loved Christmas for as long as she could remember.

 

She closed her eyes and pictured a decorated tree.

Lights twinkled and ornaments glistened. 

Jingle bells chimed faintly if she really listened. 

That magical holiday feeling filled her with glee.

 

That night, Lillian wished upon on a shooting star.

She wanted another life with no more woes.

With lots of sparkling lights and big red bows.

She wished to live anywhere else, somewhere far.

 

Lillian awoke the next day in an unfamiliar place.

There was hammering and chattering just one story below.

Out the window, for miles and miles was nothing but snow.

Did my wish come true? Her heart began to race!

 

She hurried down the staircase to a busy workshop,

Where elves greeted her merrily and showed her the ropes.

They gave her tools to build toys and dreams and hopes.

Even Santa was there! Her head spun like a top!

 

Lillian learned quickly and became a toyshop Elf.

She built toys until her knuckles were sore.

She grew mistletoe and wrapped presents galore!

Not before long, a hole grew somewhere inside of her self.

 

It was Christmas Eve when Santa wrote out his list.

He looked into each heart and wrote its desire.

Little Lillian gulped and joined him by the fire.

With one look at her, Santa instantly knew her deepest wish.

 

Santa smiled at her kindly and waved goodnight.

Lillian rushed off to bed where she waited for sleep.

She dozed off soon enough (she counted 53 sheep).

She woke in the morning and everything felt just right.

 

She opened her eyes and saw her old room!

She was back inside her hollow tree trunk

With moss carpet and that familiar smell of skunk.

And shamrocks beneath her window in bloom!

 

Relief flooded her heart in the beautiful dawn.

She promised to never again lose her pride,

No matter how green the grass appeared on the other side,

Lillian couldn’t be happier to be a Leprechaun.

 

 

 

-H.C. Herman