Poems for Advent 1

Christmas Angel

A first mission and a tricky assignment:

with so much at stake

and a lot looking on.

Make a success of something this big

and you're a front runner

for the inner circle.

Bungle it - and a shift somewhere

unknown and overseas,

inevitable.

Most wouldn't touch it;

terrified of the distance; wardrobe costs;

and speech writing demands.

Shortlisting two - the other contender

had been dismissed years ago

but always still applied.

And with little difference

to most bureaucracies - learnt

of the appointment last by official mail.

To start the following afternoon

with little to no in-service training -

only a contact number.

Finally, a matter

of falling back on native cunning

and nous.

In retrospect now -

a brilliant achievement

with accolades to flow for years to come.

And with success -

a rapid rising through the ranks

but always harkening after that old job back.

The dressing up; rehearsals

last night parties -

and first night nerves.

Jeff Guess