In the school conservatory, the sunlit lanterns stood
upright
Along the window sill, dry and bone white.
Each one cut from the same, yet none identical
Little hands put, cut, pressed and folded
Little hands grabbed and dragged lumpy glue across the paper
white
Flakes of sequin, shaped like moon and star pinched between
finger and thumb
Sprinkle and place, push and sink into glue, a pale translucent
icing
Ruby stars, sapphire moons, golden misted and silver dusted,
encrusted
Carry them high and shedding a fine path to the great hall
for the now season.
Leave them for days until it doesn’t feel bad to throw them
away
